diff --git a/src/osd/PG.cc b/src/osd/PG.cc
index 3d61b7d3d1e..8757d28c5ef 100644
--- a/src/osd/PG.cc
+++ b/src/osd/PG.cc
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ bool PG::search_for_missing(
 {
   unsigned num_unfound_before = missing_loc.num_unfound();
   bool found_missing = missing_loc.add_source_info(
-    from, oinfo, omissing, get_sort_bitwise(), ctx->handle);
+    from, oinfo, omissing, ctx->handle);
   if (found_missing && num_unfound_before != missing_loc.num_unfound())
     publish_stats_to_osd();
   if (found_missing &&
@@ -536,7 +536,6 @@ bool PG::MissingLoc::add_source_info(
   pg_shard_t fromosd,
   const pg_info_t &oinfo,
   const pg_missing_t &omissing,
-  bool sort_bitwise,
   ThreadPool::TPHandle* handle)
 {
   bool found_missing = false;
@@ -559,7 +558,7 @@ bool PG::MissingLoc::add_source_info(
       continue;
     }
     if (!oinfo.last_backfill.is_max() &&
-	oinfo.last_backfill_bitwise != sort_bitwise) {
+	!oinfo.last_backfill_bitwise) {
       ldout(pg->cct, 10) << "search_for_missing " << soid << " " << need
 			 << " also missing on osd." << fromosd
 			 << " (last_backfill " << oinfo.last_backfill
@@ -1795,7 +1794,7 @@ void PG::activate(ObjectStore::Transaction& t,
         missing_loc.add_batch_sources_info(complete_shards, ctx->handle);
       } else {
         missing_loc.add_source_info(pg_whoami, info, pg_log.get_missing(),
-				    get_sort_bitwise(), ctx->handle);
+				    ctx->handle);
         for (set<pg_shard_t>::iterator i = actingbackfill.begin();
 	     i != actingbackfill.end();
 	     ++i) {
@@ -1807,7 +1806,6 @@ void PG::activate(ObjectStore::Transaction& t,
 	    *i,
 	    peer_info[*i],
 	    peer_missing[*i],
-	    get_sort_bitwise(),
             ctx->handle);
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/osd/PG.h b/src/osd/PG.h
index 807efc56c5f..a6c13db3c6b 100644
--- a/src/osd/PG.h
+++ b/src/osd/PG.h
@@ -427,7 +427,6 @@ public:
       pg_shard_t source,           ///< [in] source
       const pg_info_t &oinfo,      ///< [in] info
       const pg_missing_t &omissing, ///< [in] (optional) missing
-      bool sort_bitwise,            ///< [in] local sort bitwise (vs nibblewise)
       ThreadPool::TPHandle* handle  ///< [in] ThreadPool handle
       ); ///< @return whether a new object location was discovered