diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index 8caa6eb1cb..ed784a66f4 100644
--- a/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -111,30 +111,3 @@ class TestUtils(base.BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(utils.hash_of_set(x), utils.hash_of_set(y))
         self.assertNotEqual(utils.hash_of_set(x), utils.hash_of_set(z))
         self.assertNotEqual(utils.hash_of_set(y), utils.hash_of_set(z))
-
-    def test_update_nested(self):
-        original_dict = {'a': 'A',
-                         'b': 'B',
-                         'nested': {'a': 'A',
-                                    'b': 'B',
-                                    'nested': {'a': 'A',
-                                               'b': 'B'
-                                               }
-                                    }
-                         }
-        updates = {'a': 'a',
-                   'nested': {'a': 'nested.a',
-                              'nested': {'a': 'nested.twice.a'}
-                              }
-                   }
-        expected_dict = {'a': 'a',
-                         'b': 'B',
-                         'nested': {'a': 'nested.a',
-                                    'b': 'B',
-                                    'nested': {'a': 'nested.twice.a',
-                                               'b': 'B'
-                                               }
-                                    }
-                         }
-        dict_to_update = utils.update_nested(original_dict, updates)
-        self.assertEqual(dict_to_update, expected_dict)
diff --git a/ceilometer/utils.py b/ceilometer/utils.py
index 52da57605a..e877bc5192 100644
--- a/ceilometer/utils.py
+++ b/ceilometer/utils.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 """Utilities and helper functions."""
 
 import calendar
-import copy
 import datetime
 import decimal
 import threading
@@ -143,21 +142,6 @@ def dict_to_keyval(value, key_base=None):
                 yield key_gen, v
 
 
-def update_nested(original_dict, updates):
-    """Updates the leaf nodes in a nest dict.
-
-     Updates occur without replacing entire sub-dicts.
-    """
-    dict_to_update = copy.deepcopy(original_dict)
-    for key, value in six.iteritems(updates):
-        if isinstance(value, dict):
-            sub_dict = update_nested(dict_to_update.get(key, {}), value)
-            dict_to_update[key] = sub_dict
-        else:
-            dict_to_update[key] = updates[key]
-    return dict_to_update
-
-
 def hash_of_set(s):
     return str(hash(frozenset(s)))