diff --git a/htlcswitch/switch.go b/htlcswitch/switch.go
index a41081cea..e45ab4f96 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/switch.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/switch.go
@@ -2206,15 +2206,6 @@ func (s *Switch) CircuitModifier() CircuitModifier {
 	return s.circuits
 }
 
-// numPendingPayments is helper function which returns the overall number of
-// pending user payments.
-func (s *Switch) numPendingPayments() int {
-	s.pendingMutex.RLock()
-	defer s.pendingMutex.RUnlock()
-
-	return len(s.pendingPayments)
-}
-
 // commitCircuits persistently adds a circuit to the switch's circuit map.
 func (s *Switch) commitCircuits(circuits ...*PaymentCircuit) (
 	*CircuitFwdActions, error) {
diff --git a/htlcswitch/switch_test.go b/htlcswitch/switch_test.go
index 73aee0ad7..693e9bcc0 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/switch_test.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/switch_test.go
@@ -1798,10 +1798,6 @@ func TestSwitchSendPayment(t *testing.T) {
 	case <-time.After(time.Second):
 		t.Fatal("err wasn't received")
 	}
-
-	if s.numPendingPayments() != 0 {
-		t.Fatal("wrong amount of pending payments")
-	}
 }
 
 // TestLocalPaymentNoForwardingEvents tests that if we send a series of locally