diff --git a/gtk/gtkmenuitem.c b/gtk/gtkmenuitem.c
index ccd12838c3..72fbe4227b 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkmenuitem.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkmenuitem.c
@@ -168,24 +168,6 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GtkMenuItem, gtk_menu_item, GTK_TYPE_BIN,
                          G_IMPLEMENT_INTERFACE (GTK_TYPE_ACTIVATABLE,
                                                 gtk_menu_item_activatable_interface_init))
 
-static void
-_gtk_menu_shell_activate (GtkMenuShell *menu_shell)
-{
-  GtkMenuShellPrivate *priv = menu_shell->priv;
-
-  if (!priv->active)
-    {
-      GdkDevice *device;
-
-      device = gtk_get_current_event_device ();
-
-      _gtk_menu_shell_set_grab_device (menu_shell, device);
-      gtk_device_grab_add (GTK_WIDGET (menu_shell), device, TRUE);
-
-      priv->have_grab = TRUE;
-      priv->active = TRUE;
-    }
-}
 
 static void
 gtk_menu_item_class_init (GtkMenuItemClass *klass)
diff --git a/gtk/gtkmenushellprivate.h b/gtk/gtkmenushellprivate.h
index 5c93b084e8..1c6ed00b92 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkmenushellprivate.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkmenushellprivate.h
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ void       _gtk_menu_shell_set_keyboard_mode (GtkMenuShell *menu_shell,
                                               gboolean      keyboard_mode);
 gboolean   _gtk_menu_shell_get_keyboard_mode (GtkMenuShell *menu_shell);
 
+void       _gtk_menu_shell_activate          (GtkMenuShell *menu_shell);
+
 
 G_END_DECLS