diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/AppUtil.h b/src/lib/deskflow/AppUtil.h
index 123fa9b65..6a3d8a18b 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/AppUtil.h
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/AppUtil.h
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ public:
 
   // Virtual Methods subclasses can impliment
   virtual int run() = 0;
-  virtual void startNode() = 0;
   virtual std::vector<std::string> getKeyboardLayoutList() = 0;
   virtual std::string getCurrentLanguageCode() = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/ClientApp.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/ClientApp.cpp
index abd49ee90..40c6f316d 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/ClientApp.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/ClientApp.cpp
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ int ClientApp::mainLoop()
   setSocketMultiplexer(std::make_unique<SocketMultiplexer>());
 
   // start client, etc
-  appUtil().startNode();
+  startNode();
 
   // run event loop.  if startClient() failed we're supposed to retry
   // later.  the timer installed by startClient() will take care of
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/ServerApp.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/ServerApp.cpp
index 8d8196312..981afedbb 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/ServerApp.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/ServerApp.cpp
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ int ServerApp::mainLoop()
 
   // start server, etc
   try {
-    appUtil().startNode();
+    startNode();
   } catch (...) {
     // a fatal startup failure exits by throwing, skipping the cleanup below;
     // tear down here so the screen's worker threads don't outlive the app.
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.cpp
index bcd53b9ae..61acf5eba 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,6 @@ int AppUtilUnix::run()
   return app().runInner(&startStatic);
 }
 
-void AppUtilUnix::startNode()
-{
-  app().startNode();
-}
-
 std::vector<std::string> AppUtilUnix::getKeyboardLayoutList()
 {
   std::vector<std::string> layoutLangCodes;
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.h b/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.h
index b1d9674a7..1e2547fe8 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.h
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/unix/AppUtilUnix.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ public:
   ~AppUtilUnix() override = default;
 
   int run() override;
-  void startNode() override;
   std::vector<std::string> getKeyboardLayoutList() override;
   std::string getCurrentLanguageCode() override;
 };
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.cpp
index 5321b03da..ddff0d465 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.cpp
@@ -126,11 +126,6 @@ AppUtilWindows &AppUtilWindows::instance()
   return (AppUtilWindows &)AppUtil::instance();
 }
 
-void AppUtilWindows::startNode()
-{
-  app().startNode();
-}
-
 std::vector<std::string> AppUtilWindows::getKeyboardLayoutList()
 {
   std::vector<std::string> layoutLangCodes;
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.h b/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.h
index f8e94dd1e..e50ab50eb 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.h
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/win32/AppUtilWindows.h
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ public:
   int daemonNTMainLoop();
   int run() override;
   void exitApp(int code) override;
-  void startNode() override;
   std::vector<std::string> getKeyboardLayoutList() override;
   std::string getCurrentLanguageCode() override;
   HKL getCurrentKeyboardLayout() const;
diff --git a/src/unittests/client/ServerProxyTests.cpp b/src/unittests/client/ServerProxyTests.cpp
index 013998d84..a5882c05c 100644
--- a/src/unittests/client/ServerProxyTests.cpp
+++ b/src/unittests/client/ServerProxyTests.cpp
@@ -35,10 +35,6 @@ public:
     return 0;
   }
 
-  void startNode() override
-  {
-  }
-
   std::vector<std::string> getKeyboardLayoutList() override
   {
     return {"en"};
diff --git a/src/unittests/platform/EiKeyStateTests.cpp b/src/unittests/platform/EiKeyStateTests.cpp
index 6ba3372c9..a58635669 100644
--- a/src/unittests/platform/EiKeyStateTests.cpp
+++ b/src/unittests/platform/EiKeyStateTests.cpp
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ public:
     return 0;
   }
 
-  void startNode() override
-  {
-  }
-
   std::vector<std::string> getKeyboardLayoutList() override
   {
     return {"en"};