diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
index 94c77e13eb..1dc0bb723b 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
@@ -4302,7 +4302,7 @@ const char *cmMakefile::GetProperty(const std::string& prop,
     }
   else if (prop == "LINK_DIRECTORIES")
     {
-    output = cmJoin(this->GetLinkDirectories(), ";");
+    output = cmJoin(this->LinkDirectories, ";");
     return output.c_str();
     }
   else if (prop == "INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES")
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.h b/Source/cmMakefile.h
index 82a2279402..154e099384 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.h
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.h
@@ -233,10 +233,6 @@ public:
    */
   void AddLinkDirectory(const std::string&);
 
-  const std::vector<std::string>& GetLinkDirectories() const
-    {
-      return this->LinkDirectories;
-    }
   void SetLinkDirectories(const std::vector<std::string>& vec)
     {
       this->LinkDirectories = vec;