diff --git a/celery/app/log.py b/celery/app/log.py
index 2a845a73b5f..e96f1174221 100644
--- a/celery/app/log.py
+++ b/celery/app/log.py
@@ -233,11 +233,6 @@ def _is_configured(self, logger):
         return self._has_handler(logger) and not getattr(
             logger, '_rudimentary_setup', False)
 
-    def setup_logger(self, name='celery', *args, **kwargs):
-        """Deprecated: No longer used."""
-        self.setup_logging_subsystem(*args, **kwargs)
-        return logging.root
-
     def get_default_logger(self, name='celery', **kwargs):
         return get_logger(name)
 
diff --git a/t/unit/app/test_log.py b/t/unit/app/test_log.py
index fa780cce80a..453c3f26702 100644
--- a/t/unit/app/test_log.py
+++ b/t/unit/app/test_log.py
@@ -149,8 +149,12 @@ def getMessage(self):
 
 class test_default_logger:
 
+    def setup_logger(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.app.log.setup_logging_subsystem(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        return logging.root
+
     def setup(self):
-        self.setup_logger = self.app.log.setup_logger
         self.get_logger = lambda n=None: get_logger(n) if n else logging.root
         signals.setup_logging.receivers[:] = []
         self.app.log.already_setup = False