diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go
index 4cdfb5248f..bbef21e9b3 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go
@@ -323,18 +323,6 @@ func networkConfig(ocispec specs.Spec, config RuntimeConfig) (vc.NetworkConfig,
 	return netConf, nil
 }
 
-// GetContainerType determines which type of container matches the annotations
-// table provided.
-func GetContainerType(annotations map[string]string) (vc.ContainerType, error) {
-	if containerType, ok := annotations[vcAnnotations.ContainerTypeKey]; ok {
-		return vc.ContainerType(containerType), nil
-	}
-
-	ociLog.Errorf("Annotations[%s] not found, cannot determine the container type",
-		vcAnnotations.ContainerTypeKey)
-	return vc.UnknownContainerType, fmt.Errorf("Could not find container type")
-}
-
 // ContainerType returns the type of container and if the container type was
 // found from CRI servers annotations.
 func ContainerType(spec specs.Spec) (vc.ContainerType, error) {
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils_test.go
index 50b44b2c32..1cdb889fbe 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils_test.go
@@ -188,38 +188,6 @@ func TestMinimalSandboxConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(os.Remove(configPath))
 }
 
-func testGetContainerTypeSuccessful(t *testing.T, annotations map[string]string, expected vc.ContainerType) {
-	assert := assert.New(t)
-	containerType, err := GetContainerType(annotations)
-	assert.NoError(err)
-	assert.Equal(containerType, expected)
-}
-
-func TestGetContainerTypePodSandbox(t *testing.T) {
-	annotations := map[string]string{
-		vcAnnotations.ContainerTypeKey: string(vc.PodSandbox),
-	}
-
-	testGetContainerTypeSuccessful(t, annotations, vc.PodSandbox)
-}
-
-func TestGetContainerTypePodContainer(t *testing.T) {
-	annotations := map[string]string{
-		vcAnnotations.ContainerTypeKey: string(vc.PodContainer),
-	}
-
-	testGetContainerTypeSuccessful(t, annotations, vc.PodContainer)
-}
-
-func TestGetContainerTypeFailure(t *testing.T) {
-	expected := vc.UnknownContainerType
-	assert := assert.New(t)
-
-	containerType, err := GetContainerType(map[string]string{})
-	assert.Error(err)
-	assert.Equal(containerType, expected)
-}
-
 func testContainerTypeSuccessful(t *testing.T, ociSpec specs.Spec, expected vc.ContainerType) {
 	containerType, err := ContainerType(ociSpec)
 	assert := assert.New(t)