diff --git a/gtk/gtk-launch.c b/gtk/gtk-launch.c
index 692fb941e5..bf84ad614a 100644
--- a/gtk/gtk-launch.c
+++ b/gtk/gtk-launch.c
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
               "optionally passing one or more URIs as arguments.");
   g_option_context_set_summary (context, summary);
   g_option_context_add_main_entries (context, entries, GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
-  g_option_context_add_group (context, gtk_get_option_group (FALSE));
-
   g_option_context_parse (context, &argc, &argv, &error);
 
   g_option_context_free (context);
diff --git a/gtk/gtkapplication.c b/gtk/gtkapplication.c
index ea3eba30cd..a1b2271cab 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkapplication.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkapplication.c
@@ -327,8 +327,6 @@ gtk_application_local_command_line (GApplication   *application,
                                     gchar        ***arguments,
                                     gint           *exit_status)
 {
-  g_application_add_option_group (application, gtk_get_option_group (FALSE));
-
   return G_APPLICATION_CLASS (gtk_application_parent_class)->local_command_line (application, arguments, exit_status);
 }
 
diff --git a/gtk/gtkmain.c b/gtk/gtkmain.c
index 49813944ba..0a619202f9 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkmain.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkmain.c
@@ -864,24 +864,7 @@ gtk_simulate_touchscreen (void)
   return test_touchscreen > 0 || (gtk_get_debug_flags () & GTK_DEBUG_TOUCHSCREEN) != 0;
  }
 
-/**
- * gtk_get_option_group:
- * @open_default_display: whether to open the default display
- *     when parsing the commandline arguments
- *
- * Returns a #GOptionGroup for the commandline arguments recognized
- * by GTK+ and GDK.
- *
- * You should add this group to your #GOptionContext
- * with g_option_context_add_group(), if you are using
- * g_option_context_parse() to parse your commandline arguments.
- *
- * Returns: (transfer full): a #GOptionGroup for the commandline
- *     arguments recognized by GTK+
- *
- * Since: 2.6
- */
-GOptionGroup *
+static GOptionGroup *
 gtk_get_option_group (gboolean open_default_display)
 {
   GOptionGroup *group;
diff --git a/gtk/gtkmain.h b/gtk/gtkmain.h
index 79398b2a2b..33635bf741 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkmain.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkmain.h
@@ -80,9 +80,6 @@ GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 gboolean gtk_init_check           (int    *argc,
                                    char ***argv);
 
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-GOptionGroup *gtk_get_option_group (gboolean open_default_display);
-
 #ifdef G_OS_WIN32
 
 /* Variants that are used to check for correct struct packing