diff --git a/include/dwarfs/entry.h b/include/dwarfs/entry.h
index dc864347..103ca26f 100644
--- a/include/dwarfs/entry.h
+++ b/include/dwarfs/entry.h
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ class entry : public entry_interface {
   bool less_revpath(entry const& rhs) const;
   size_t size() const override { return stat_.size; }
   virtual type_t type() const = 0;
-  std::string type_string() const override;
   bool is_directory() const override;
   virtual void walk(std::function<void(entry*)> const& f);
   virtual void walk(std::function<void(const entry*)> const& f) const;
diff --git a/include/dwarfs/entry_interface.h b/include/dwarfs/entry_interface.h
index bd53b890..a90a0fde 100644
--- a/include/dwarfs/entry_interface.h
+++ b/include/dwarfs/entry_interface.h
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ class entry_interface : public object {
   virtual std::string dpath() const = 0;
   virtual std::string unix_dpath() const = 0;
   virtual std::string const& name() const = 0;
-  virtual std::string type_string() const = 0;
   virtual size_t size() const = 0;
   virtual bool is_directory() const = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/dwarfs/entry.cpp b/src/dwarfs/entry.cpp
index 53da0fc5..1d50079d 100644
--- a/src/dwarfs/entry.cpp
+++ b/src/dwarfs/entry.cpp
@@ -140,30 +140,6 @@ bool entry::less_revpath(entry const& rhs) const {
   return static_cast<bool>(rhs_p);
 }
 
-std::string entry::type_string() const {
-  switch (stat_.type()) {
-  case posix_file_type::regular:
-    return "file";
-  case posix_file_type::directory:
-    return "directory";
-  case posix_file_type::symlink:
-    return "link";
-  case posix_file_type::character:
-    return "chardev";
-  case posix_file_type::block:
-    return "blockdev";
-  case posix_file_type::fifo:
-    return "fifo";
-  case posix_file_type::socket:
-    return "socket";
-  default:
-    break;
-  }
-
-  DWARFS_THROW(runtime_error, fmt::format("unknown file type: {:#06x}",
-                                          fmt::underlying(stat_.type())));
-}
-
 bool entry::is_directory() const { return stat_.is_directory(); }
 
 void entry::walk(std::function<void(entry*)> const& f) { f(this); }