diff --git a/container/state.go b/container/state.go
index be403ae7d3..59eafc9171 100644
--- a/container/state.go
+++ b/container/state.go
@@ -366,13 +366,6 @@ func (s *State) IsRemovalInProgress() bool {
 	return res
 }
 
-// SetDead sets the container state to "dead"
-func (s *State) SetDead() {
-	s.Lock()
-	s.Dead = true
-	s.Unlock()
-}
-
 // IsDead returns whether the Dead flag is set. Used by Container to check whether a container is dead.
 func (s *State) IsDead() bool {
 	s.Lock()
diff --git a/container/state_test.go b/container/state_test.go
index 4ad3c805ed..bf114ea1aa 100644
--- a/container/state_test.go
+++ b/container/state_test.go
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ func TestStateRunStop(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Set the state to dead and removed.
-	s.SetDead()
+	s.Lock()
+	s.Dead = true
+	s.Unlock()
 	s.SetRemoved()
 
 	// Wait for removed status or timeout.