diff --git a/bootstrap b/bootstrap
index e0904a469a..e01d3a8516 100755
--- a/bootstrap
+++ b/bootstrap
@@ -36,11 +36,6 @@ if ! "${PKG_CONFIG:-pkg-config}" --version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-# Prepare m4/private.m4
-rm -f m4/private.m4 && cat > m4/private.m4 << EOF
-dnl  Private VLC macros - generated by bootstrap
-EOF
-
 # Check for autopoint (GNU gettext)
 export AUTOPOINT
 test "$AUTOPOINT" || AUTOPOINT=autopoint
diff --git a/m4/.gitignore b/m4/.gitignore
index 882bc105b0..38066ddf7c 100644
--- a/m4/.gitignore
+++ b/m4/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-private.m4
 libtool.m4
 ltoptions.m4
 ltsugar.m4
diff --git a/m4/Makefile.am b/m4/Makefile.am
index 45499ea044..1c71cd1903 100644
--- a/m4/Makefile.am
+++ b/m4/Makefile.am
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	nls.m4 \
 	po.m4 \
 	printf-posix.m4 \
-	private.m4 \
 	progtest.m4 \
 	size_max.m4 \
 	stdcxx_11.m4 \