diff --git a/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.cpp b/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.cpp
index 3be28a94c4..c0e9c3c8c4 100644
--- a/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,3 @@ const SkData* SkAutoPixmapStorage::detachPixelsAsData() {
     return data.release();
 }
 
-void SkAutoPixmapStorage::release() {
-    fStorage = nullptr;
-    this->INHERITED::reset();
-}
diff --git a/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.h b/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.h
index 4379b13d24..1a07a9773a 100644
--- a/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.h
+++ b/src/core/SkAutoPixmapStorage.h
@@ -46,14 +46,6 @@ public:
     */
     const SkData* SK_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT detachPixelsAsData();
 
-    /**
-    * Whereas 'reset' frees the backing memory and then clears the SkPixmap,
-    * this entry point disowns the backing memory before clearing so the memory
-    * isn't freed. It can be used when the Pixmap has been installed into
-    * an SkBitmap and the SkBitmap should manage the memory's lifetime.
-    */
-    void release();
-
     // We wrap these so we can clear our internal storage
 
     void reset() {
diff --git a/tests/SpecialImageTest.cpp b/tests/SpecialImageTest.cpp
index 432adc8327..bd07115dbf 100644
--- a/tests/SpecialImageTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/SpecialImageTest.cpp
@@ -183,23 +183,10 @@ DEF_TEST(SpecialImage_Pixmap, reporter) {
     pixmap.erase(SK_ColorRED, subset);
 
     {
-        // The SkAutoPixmapStorage keeps hold of the memory
         sk_sp<SkSpecialImage> img(SkSpecialImage::MakeFromPixmap(nullptr, subset, pixmap,
                                                                  nullptr, nullptr));
         test_image(img, reporter, true, false, kPad, kFullSize);
     }
-
-    {
-        // The image takes ownership of the memory
-        sk_sp<SkSpecialImage> img(SkSpecialImage::MakeFromPixmap(
-                                               nullptr, subset, pixmap,
-                                               [] (void* addr, void*) -> void {
-                                                   sk_free(addr);
-                                               },
-                                               nullptr));
-        pixmap.release();
-        test_image(img, reporter, true, false, kPad, kFullSize);
-    }
 }