diff --git a/server/dcc-send.c b/server/dcc-send.c
index 0f645a91..f0f2e16e 100644
--- a/server/dcc-send.c
+++ b/server/dcc-send.c
@@ -2455,7 +2455,7 @@ void dcc_send_item(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, RedPipeItem *pipe_item)
         spice_warn_if_reached();
     }
 
-    dcc_release_item(dcc, pipe_item, FALSE);
+    red_pipe_item_unref(pipe_item);
 
     // a message is pending
     if (red_channel_client_send_message_pending(rcc)) {
diff --git a/server/dcc.c b/server/dcc.c
index 7d9d366b..b9e4eb32 100644
--- a/server/dcc.c
+++ b/server/dcc.c
@@ -1607,8 +1607,3 @@ int dcc_handle_migrate_data(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, uint32_t size, void *mess
     red_channel_client_ack_zero_messages_window(RED_CHANNEL_CLIENT(dcc));
     return TRUE;
 }
-
-void dcc_release_item(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, RedPipeItem *item, int item_pushed)
-{
-    red_pipe_item_unref(item);
-}
diff --git a/server/dcc.h b/server/dcc.h
index 63a74961..864a7681 100644
--- a/server/dcc.h
+++ b/server/dcc.h
@@ -203,9 +203,6 @@ void                       dcc_append_drawable                       (DisplayCha
 void                       dcc_add_drawable_after                    (DisplayChannelClient *dcc,
                                                                       Drawable *drawable,
                                                                       RedPipeItem *pos);
-void                       dcc_release_item                          (DisplayChannelClient *dcc,
-                                                                      RedPipeItem *item,
-                                                                      int item_pushed);
 void                       dcc_send_item                             (DisplayChannelClient *dcc,
                                                                       RedPipeItem *item);
 int                        dcc_clear_surface_drawables_from_pipe     (DisplayChannelClient *dcc,
diff --git a/server/display-channel.c b/server/display-channel.c
index 7715b959..302daede 100644
--- a/server/display-channel.c
+++ b/server/display-channel.c
@@ -1948,10 +1948,7 @@ static void hold_item(RedChannelClient *rcc, RedPipeItem *item)
 
 static void release_item(RedChannelClient *rcc, RedPipeItem *item, int item_pushed)
 {
-    DisplayChannelClient *dcc = RCC_TO_DCC(rcc);
-
-    spice_return_if_fail(item != NULL);
-    dcc_release_item(dcc, item, item_pushed);
+    red_pipe_item_unref(item);
 }
 
 static int handle_migrate_flush_mark(RedChannelClient *rcc)