diff --git a/src/st/st-theme.h b/src/st/st-theme.h
index 6cee089a1..d3f242c2d 100644
--- a/src/st/st-theme.h
+++ b/src/st/st-theme.h
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
  *
  * #StTheme holds a set of stylesheets. (The "cascade" of the name
  * Cascading Stylesheets.) A #StTheme can be set to apply to all the actors
- * in a stage using st_theme_context_set_theme() or applied to a subtree
- * of actors using st_widget_set_theme().
+ * in a stage using st_theme_context_set_theme().
  */
 
 #define ST_TYPE_THEME              (st_theme_get_type ())
diff --git a/src/st/st-widget.c b/src/st/st-widget.c
index 586954b46..fd0f19b22 100644
--- a/src/st/st-widget.c
+++ b/src/st/st-widget.c
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@
 typedef struct _StWidgetPrivate        StWidgetPrivate;
 struct _StWidgetPrivate
 {
-  StTheme      *theme;
   StThemeNode  *theme_node;
   gchar        *pseudo_class;
   gchar        *style_class;
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@ enum
 {
   PROP_0,
 
-  PROP_THEME,
   PROP_PSEUDO_CLASS,
   PROP_STYLE_CLASS,
   PROP_STYLE,
@@ -154,10 +152,6 @@ st_widget_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
 
   switch (prop_id)
     {
-    case PROP_THEME:
-      st_widget_set_theme (actor, g_value_get_object (value));
-      break;
-
     case PROP_PSEUDO_CLASS:
       st_widget_set_style_pseudo_class (actor, g_value_get_string (value));
       break;
@@ -211,10 +205,6 @@ st_widget_get_property (GObject    *gobject,
 
   switch (prop_id)
     {
-    case PROP_THEME:
-      g_value_set_object (value, priv->theme);
-      break;
-
     case PROP_PSEUDO_CLASS:
       g_value_set_string (value, priv->pseudo_class);
       break;
@@ -312,7 +302,6 @@ st_widget_dispose (GObject *gobject)
   StWidget *actor = ST_WIDGET (gobject);
   StWidgetPrivate *priv = st_widget_get_instance_private (actor);
 
-  g_clear_pointer (&priv->theme, g_object_unref);
   g_clear_pointer (&priv->theme_node, g_object_unref);
 
   st_widget_remove_transition (actor);
@@ -639,7 +628,7 @@ st_widget_get_theme_node (StWidget *widget)
         pseudo_class = direction_pseudo_class;
 
       context = st_theme_context_get_for_stage (stage);
-      tmp_node = st_theme_node_new (context, parent_node, priv->theme,
+      tmp_node = st_theme_node_new (context, parent_node, NULL,
                                     G_OBJECT_TYPE (widget),
                                     clutter_actor_get_name (CLUTTER_ACTOR (widget)),
                                     priv->style_class,
@@ -902,19 +891,6 @@ st_widget_class_init (StWidgetClass *klass)
                           "",
                           ST_PARAM_READWRITE);
 
-  /**
-   * StWidget:theme:
-   *
-   * A theme set on this actor overriding the global theming for this actor
-   * and its descendants
-   */
-  props[PROP_THEME] =
-     g_param_spec_object ("theme",
-                          "Theme",
-                          "Theme override",
-                          ST_TYPE_THEME,
-                          ST_PARAM_READWRITE);
-
   /**
    * StWidget:track-hover:
    *
@@ -1042,52 +1018,6 @@ st_widget_class_init (StWidgetClass *klass)
                   G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 }
 
-/**
- * st_widget_set_theme:
- * @actor: a #StWidget
- * @theme: a new style class string
- *
- * Overrides the theme that would be inherited from the actor's parent
- * or the stage with an entirely new theme (set of stylesheets).
- */
-void
-st_widget_set_theme (StWidget  *actor,
-                     StTheme   *theme)
-{
-  StWidgetPrivate *priv;
-
-  g_return_if_fail (ST_IS_WIDGET (actor));
-
-  priv = st_widget_get_instance_private (actor);
-
-  if (theme != priv->theme)
-    {
-      if (priv->theme)
-        g_object_unref (priv->theme);
-      priv->theme = g_object_ref (theme);
-
-      st_widget_style_changed (actor);
-
-      g_object_notify_by_pspec (G_OBJECT (actor), props[PROP_THEME]);
-    }
-}
-
-/**
- * st_widget_get_theme:
- * @actor: a #StWidget
- *
- * Gets the overriding theme set on the actor. See st_widget_set_theme()
- *
- * Return value: (transfer none): the overriding theme, or %NULL
- */
-StTheme *
-st_widget_get_theme (StWidget *actor)
-{
-  g_return_val_if_fail (ST_IS_WIDGET (actor), NULL);
-
-  return ST_WIDGET_PRIVATE (actor)->theme;
-}
-
 static const gchar *
 find_class_name (const gchar *class_list,
                  const gchar *class_name)
diff --git a/src/st/st-widget.h b/src/st/st-widget.h
index 2f593e3d3..9b6efd559 100644
--- a/src/st/st-widget.h
+++ b/src/st/st-widget.h
@@ -104,10 +104,6 @@ gboolean              st_widget_has_style_class_name      (StWidget        *acto
 void                  st_widget_set_style                 (StWidget        *actor,
                                                            const gchar     *style);
 const gchar *         st_widget_get_style                 (StWidget        *actor);
-void                  st_widget_set_theme                 (StWidget        *actor,
-                                                           StTheme         *theme);
-StTheme *             st_widget_get_theme                 (StWidget        *actor);
-
 void                  st_widget_set_track_hover           (StWidget        *widget,
                                                            gboolean         track_hover);
 gboolean              st_widget_get_track_hover           (StWidget        *widget);