diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
index 26de4fcf4..bc7243c44 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer-private.h
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ struct _CoglRenderer
   CoglDisplay *display;
 
   gboolean connected;
-  CoglDriverId driver_override;
   CoglDriver *driver;
   CoglTextureDriver *texture_driver;
   const CoglWinsysVtable *winsys_vtable;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
index de1e64cd9..bce026e00 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
@@ -277,21 +277,6 @@ _cogl_renderer_choose_driver (CoglRenderer *renderer,
         invalid_override = driver_name;
     }
 
-  if (renderer->driver_override != COGL_DRIVER_ID_ANY)
-    {
-      if (driver_override != COGL_DRIVER_ID_ANY &&
-          renderer->driver_override != driver_override)
-        {
-          g_set_error (error, COGL_RENDERER_ERROR,
-                       COGL_RENDERER_ERROR_BAD_CONSTRAINT,
-                       "Application driver selection conflicts with driver "
-                       "specified in configuration");
-          return FALSE;
-        }
-
-      driver_override = renderer->driver_override;
-    }
-
   if (driver_override != COGL_DRIVER_ID_ANY)
     {
       gboolean found = FALSE;
@@ -551,14 +536,6 @@ cogl_renderer_get_proc_address (CoglRenderer *renderer,
   return winsys->renderer_get_proc_address (renderer, name);
 }
 
-void
-cogl_renderer_set_driver (CoglRenderer *renderer,
-                          CoglDriverId  driver)
-{
-  g_return_if_fail (!renderer->connected);
-  renderer->driver_override = driver;
-}
-
 CoglDriverId
 cogl_renderer_get_driver_id (CoglRenderer *renderer)
 {
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
index 6de09e268..1e16bc9de 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-renderer.h
@@ -196,24 +196,6 @@ typedef enum
   COGL_DRIVER_ID_GLES2,
 } CoglDriverId;
 
-/**
- * cogl_renderer_set_driver:
- * @renderer: An unconnected #CoglRenderer
- *
- * Requests that Cogl should try to use a specific underlying driver
- * for rendering.
- *
- * If you select an unsupported driver then cogl_renderer_connect()
- * will fail and report an error. Most applications should not
- * explicitly select a driver and should rely on Cogl automatically
- * choosing the driver.
- *
- * This may only be called on an un-connected #CoglRenderer.
- */
-COGL_EXPORT void
-cogl_renderer_set_driver (CoglRenderer *renderer,
-                          CoglDriverId  driver);
-
 /**
  * cogl_renderer_get_driver_id:
  * @renderer: A connected #CoglRenderer