diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index 7e4941978..d5b767b12 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/ethash"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/httpclient"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/downloader"
@@ -520,12 +519,6 @@ func (self *Ethereum) StopAutoDAG() {
 	glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("Automatic pregeneration of ethash DAG OFF (ethash dir: %s)", ethash.DefaultDir)
 }
 
-// HTTPClient returns the light http client used for fetching offchain docs
-// (natspec, source for verification)
-func (self *Ethereum) HTTPClient() *httpclient.HTTPClient {
-	return self.httpclient
-}
-
 // dagFiles(epoch) returns the two alternative DAG filenames (not a path)
 // 1) <revision>-<hex(seedhash[8])> 2) full-R<revision>-<hex(seedhash[8])>
 func dagFiles(epoch uint64) (string, string) {