diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
index 371e8fe5cf66f..1abc7832ffa0f 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ fn char_lit(lit: &str, diag: Option<(Span, &Handler)>) -> (char, isize) {
 }
 
 /// Parses a string representing a string literal into its final form. Does unescaping.
-pub fn str_lit(lit: &str, diag: Option<(Span, &Handler)>) -> String {
+fn str_lit(lit: &str, diag: Option<(Span, &Handler)>) -> String {
     debug!("str_lit: given {}", lit.escape_default());
     let mut res = String::with_capacity(lit.len());