diff --git a/cinder/api/openstack/common.py b/cinder/api/openstack/common.py
index 0ebe610e060..de0a6a5a70a 100644
--- a/cinder/api/openstack/common.py
+++ b/cinder/api/openstack/common.py
@@ -178,18 +178,6 @@ def dict_to_query_str(params):
     return param_str.rstrip('&')
 
 
-def check_snapshots_enabled(f):
-    @functools.wraps(f)
-    def inner(*args, **kwargs):
-        if not FLAGS.allow_instance_snapshots:
-            LOG.warn(_('Rejecting snapshot request, snapshots currently'
-                       ' disabled'))
-            msg = _("Instance snapshots are not permitted at this time.")
-            raise webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest(explanation=msg)
-        return f(*args, **kwargs)
-    return inner
-
-
 class ViewBuilder(object):
     """Model API responses as dictionaries."""
 
diff --git a/etc/cinder/cinder.conf.sample b/etc/cinder/cinder.conf.sample
index e28bec3d15f..3dba756d126 100644
--- a/etc/cinder/cinder.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/cinder/cinder.conf.sample
@@ -440,11 +440,6 @@
 ###### (IntOpt) Number of minutes for lockout window.
 # lockout_window=15
 
-######### defined in cinder.api.openstack.compute #########
-
-###### (BoolOpt) Permit instance snapshot operations.
-# allow_instance_snapshots=true
-
 ######### defined in cinder.ipv6.api #########
 
 ###### (StrOpt) Backend to use for IPv6 generation