diff --git a/testsuite/reftests/gtk-reftest.c b/testsuite/reftests/gtk-reftest.c
index cd153969a8..efe48e6480 100644
--- a/testsuite/reftests/gtk-reftest.c
+++ b/testsuite/reftests/gtk-reftest.c
@@ -453,37 +453,6 @@ log_writer (GLogLevelFlags   log_level,
   return g_log_writer_standard_streams (log_level, fields, n_fields, user_data);
 }
 
-static void
-enforce_default_settings (void)
-{
-  GtkSettings *settings;
-  GObjectClass *klass;
-  GParamSpec **pspecs;
-  guint n_pspecs;
-  int i;
-
-  settings = gtk_settings_get_default ();
-
-  klass = g_type_class_ref (G_OBJECT_TYPE (settings));
-
-  pspecs = g_object_class_list_properties (klass, &n_pspecs);
-  for (i = 0; i < n_pspecs; i++)
-    {
-      GParamSpec *pspec = pspecs[i];
-      const GValue *value;
-
-      if ((pspec->flags & G_PARAM_WRITABLE) == 0)
-        continue;
-
-      value = g_param_spec_get_default_value (pspec);
-      g_object_set_property (G_OBJECT (settings), pspec->name, value);
-    }
-
-  g_free (pspecs);
-
-  g_type_class_unref (klass);
-}
-
 int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -534,8 +503,6 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
    */
   chdir (basedir);
 
-  enforce_default_settings ();
-
   g_log_set_writer_func (log_writer, NULL, NULL);
 
   result = g_test_run ();