diff --git a/SystemTools.cxx b/SystemTools.cxx
index 073bb643d7..b7e0960034 100644
--- a/SystemTools.cxx
+++ b/SystemTools.cxx
@@ -3166,44 +3166,6 @@ bool SystemTools::FileIsFIFO(std::string const& name)
 #endif
 }
 
-Status SystemTools::CreateSymlink(std::string const& origName,
-                                  std::string const& newName)
-{
-#if defined(_WIN32) && !defined(__CYGWIN__)
-  DWORD flags;
-  if (FileIsDirectory(origName)) {
-    flags = SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_DIRECTORY;
-  } else {
-    flags = 0;
-  }
-
-  std::wstring origPath = Encoding::ToWindowsExtendedPath(origName);
-  std::wstring newPath = Encoding::ToWindowsExtendedPath(newName);
-
-  Status status;
-  if (!CreateSymbolicLinkW(newPath.c_str(), origPath.c_str(),
-                           flags |
-                             SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE)) {
-    status = Status::Windows_GetLastError();
-  }
-  // Older Windows versions do not understand
-  // SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE
-  if (status.GetWindows() == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER) {
-    status = Status::Success();
-    if (!CreateSymbolicLinkW(newPath.c_str(), origPath.c_str(), flags)) {
-      status = Status::Windows_GetLastError();
-    }
-  }
-
-  return status;
-#else
-  if (symlink(origName.c_str(), newName.c_str()) < 0) {
-    return Status::POSIX_errno();
-  }
-  return Status::Success();
-#endif
-}
-
 Status SystemTools::ReadSymlink(std::string const& newName,
                                 std::string& origName)
 {
diff --git a/SystemTools.hxx.in b/SystemTools.hxx.in
index 796924e0e2..12b37406a2 100644
--- a/SystemTools.hxx.in
+++ b/SystemTools.hxx.in
@@ -785,13 +785,6 @@ public:
                                                   unsigned long length = 256,
                                                   double percent_bin = 0.05);
 
-  /**
-   * Create a symbolic link if the platform supports it.  Returns whether
-   * creation succeeded.
-   */
-  static Status CreateSymlink(std::string const& origName,
-                              std::string const& newName);
-
   /**
    * Read the contents of a symbolic link.  Returns whether reading
    * succeeded.
diff --git a/testSystemTools.cxx b/testSystemTools.cxx
index b94b8f6f1b..e48525de43 100644
--- a/testSystemTools.cxx
+++ b/testSystemTools.cxx
@@ -445,29 +445,6 @@ static bool CheckFileOperations()
     res = false;
   }
 
-  std::string const testBadSymlink(testNewDir + "/badSymlink.txt");
-  std::string const testBadSymlinkTgt(testNewDir + "/missing/symlinkTgt.txt");
-  kwsys::Status const symlinkStatus =
-    kwsys::SystemTools::CreateSymlink(testBadSymlinkTgt, testBadSymlink);
-#if defined(_WIN32)
-  // Under Windows, the user may not have enough privileges to create symlinks
-  if (symlinkStatus.GetWindows() != ERROR_PRIVILEGE_NOT_HELD)
-#endif
-  {
-    if (!symlinkStatus.IsSuccess()) {
-      std::cerr << "CreateSymlink for: " << testBadSymlink << " -> "
-                << testBadSymlinkTgt
-                << " failed: " << symlinkStatus.GetString() << std::endl;
-      res = false;
-    }
-
-    if (!kwsys::SystemTools::Touch(testBadSymlink, false)) {
-      std::cerr << "Problem with Touch (no create) for: " << testBadSymlink
-                << std::endl;
-      res = false;
-    }
-  }
-
   if (!kwsys::SystemTools::Touch(testNewDir, false)) {
     std::cerr << "Problem with Touch (no create) for: " << testNewDir
               << std::endl;