--- a/libinterp/interp-core/oct-stream.h
+++ b/libinterp/interp-core/oct-stream.h
@@ -371,12 +371,6 @@
 
   virtual std::ostream *output_stream (void) { return 0; }
 
-  // If the derived class is locale-aware, it must implement this function 
-  // in order to set a new locale. By default, this function avoids messing 
-  // with locales and ignores its input argument.
-  virtual std::locale imbue ( const std::locale &)
-    { return std::locale::classic (); }
-
   // Return TRUE if this stream is open.
 
   bool is_open (void) const { return open_state; }
@@ -619,23 +613,7 @@
   {
     return rep ? rep->output_stream () : 0;
   }
-  
-  std::locale imbue (const std::locale & loc )
-    {
-      if (!rep) return std::locale::classic ();
-      
-      std::istream *is = rep->input_stream ();
-      std::ostream *os = rep->output_stream ();
-      
-      if (os) 
-        {
-          if (is)
-            (void) is->imbue (loc);
-          return os->imbue (loc);
-        }
-      return is ? is->imbue (loc) : std::locale::classic ();
-    }
-  
+
   void clearerr (void) { if (rep) rep->clearerr (); }
 
 private: