diff --git a/libs/temporal/tempo.cc b/libs/temporal/tempo.cc
index f070f46658..f75e4c6cb8 100644
--- a/libs/temporal/tempo.cc
+++ b/libs/temporal/tempo.cc
@@ -360,8 +360,6 @@ Meter::bbt_delta (BBT_Time const & later, BBT_Time const & earlier) const
 
 	assert (later > earlier);
 
-#if 1 // more efficient than iterative method below
-
 	BBT_Offset d;
 	BBT_Time a (earlier);
 	BBT_Time b (later);
@@ -388,54 +386,6 @@ Meter::bbt_delta (BBT_Time const & later, BBT_Time const & earlier) const
 	d.bars  = b.bars - a.bars;
 
 	return d;
-
-#else
-	BBT_Time a (earlier);
-	BBT_Time b (later);
-	int32_t d_bars = 0;
-	int32_t d_beats = 0;
-	int32_t d_ticks = 0;
-
-	/* Walk to next grid-beat, counting ticks (and wrapped beats and bars
-	 * if necessary)
-	 */
-
-	while (a.ticks < b.ticks) {
-		if (a.ticks == ticks_per_grid()) {
-			a.ticks = 0; /* not necessary but here for consistency */
-			a.beats++;
-			d_beats++;
-			if (a.beats == _divisions_per_bar) {
-				a.beats = 1;
-				a.bars++;
-				d_bars++;
-			}
-			break;
-		}
-		a.ticks++;
-		d_ticks++;
-	}
-
-	/* Walk to next bar, counting beats (and bars
-	 * if necessary)
-	 */
-	while (a.beats < b.beats) {
-		if (a.beats == _divisions_per_bar) {
-			a.beats = 1;
-			a.bars++;
-			d_bars++;
-			break;
-		}
-		a.beats++;
-		d_beats++;
-	}
-
-	/* count bars */
-
-	d_bars = b.bars - a.bars;
-
-	return BBT_Offset (d_bars, d_beats, d_ticks);
-#endif
 }
 
 Temporal::Beats