diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 738d6bd20e..124c3654c1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ SOURCES-$(NEED_GLOB)            += osdep/glob-win.c
 SOURCES-$(NEED_SETENV)          += osdep/setenv.c
 SOURCES-$(NEED_SHMEM)           += osdep/shmem.c
 SOURCES-$(NEED_STRSEP)          += osdep/strsep.c
-SOURCES-$(NEED_VSSCANF)         += osdep/vsscanf.c
 SOURCES-$(NETWORKING)           += stream/stream_netstream.c \
                                    stream/asf_mmst_streaming.c \
                                    stream/asf_streaming.c \
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 395d9659d9..32dfc37a75 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1630,25 +1630,6 @@ fi
 echores "$_strsep"
 
 
-echocheck "vsscanf()"
-cat > $TMPC << EOF
-#define _ISOC99_SOURCE
-#include <stdarg.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-int main(void) { va_list ap; vsscanf("foo", "bar", ap); return 0; }
-EOF
-_vsscanf=no
-cc_check && _vsscanf=yes
-if test "$_vsscanf" = yes ; then
-  def_vsscanf='#define HAVE_VSSCANF 1'
-  need_vsscanf=no
-else
-  def_vsscanf='#undef HAVE_VSSCANF'
-  need_vsscanf=yes
-fi
-echores "$_vsscanf"
-
-
 echocheck "POSIX select()"
 cat > $TMPC << EOF
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -3144,7 +3125,6 @@ NEED_GETTIMEOFDAY = $need_gettimeofday
 NEED_GLOB         = $need_glob
 NEED_SHMEM        = $need_shmem
 NEED_STRSEP       = $need_strsep
-NEED_VSSCANF      = $need_vsscanf
 
 # features
 ALSA = $_alsa
@@ -3286,7 +3266,6 @@ $def_sysi86
 $def_sysi86_iv
 $def_termcap
 $def_termios
-$def_vsscanf
 
 
 /* system-specific features */
diff --git a/osdep/vsscanf.c b/osdep/vsscanf.c
deleted file mode 100644
index f75ddfe033..0000000000
--- a/osdep/vsscanf.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * vsscanf implementation for systems that do not have it in libc
- *
- * This file is part of MPlayer.
- *
- * MPlayer is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * MPlayer is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
- * with MPlayer; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
- * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
- */
-
-#include "config.h"
-
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <stdarg.h>
-
-int
-vsscanf(const char *str, const char *format, va_list ap)
-{
-    /* XXX: can this be implemented in a more portable way? */
-    long p1 = va_arg(ap, long);
-    long p2 = va_arg(ap, long);
-    long p3 = va_arg(ap, long);
-    long p4 = va_arg(ap, long);
-    long p5 = va_arg(ap, long);
-    return sscanf(str, format, p1, p2, p3, p4, p5);
-}