diff --git a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/FCTSBackedLighterAST.java b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/FCTSBackedLighterAST.java
index f94bb1651247..36b95d74563f 100644
--- a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/FCTSBackedLighterAST.java
+++ b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/FCTSBackedLighterAST.java
@@ -57,18 +57,6 @@ public class FCTSBackedLighterAST extends LighterAST {
     return new LighterASTNodeList(numKids, elements);
   }
 
-  @Override
-  public void disposeChildren(@NotNull List<LighterASTNode> children) {
-    if (children instanceof LighterASTNodeList) {
-      LighterASTNodeList nodes = (LighterASTNodeList)children;
-      myTreeStructure.disposeChildren(nodes.myElements, nodes.mySize);
-    }
-    else {
-      LighterASTNode[] astNodes = new LighterASTNode[children.size()];
-      myTreeStructure.disposeChildren(children.toArray(astNodes), astNodes.length);
-    }
-  }
-
   private static class LighterASTNodeList extends AbstractList<LighterASTNode> {
     private final int mySize;
     private final LighterASTNode[] myElements;
diff --git a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/LighterAST.java b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/LighterAST.java
index 50afda448426..73bedde677e9 100644
--- a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/LighterAST.java
+++ b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/LighterAST.java
@@ -44,7 +44,4 @@ public abstract class LighterAST {
 
   @NotNull
   public abstract List<LighterASTNode> getChildren(@NotNull final LighterASTNode parent);
-
-  public abstract void disposeChildren(@NotNull List<LighterASTNode> children);
-
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/TreeBackedLighterAST.java b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/TreeBackedLighterAST.java
index cf99758c2017..4d4e56803128 100644
--- a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/TreeBackedLighterAST.java
+++ b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/lang/TreeBackedLighterAST.java
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ public class TreeBackedLighterAST extends LighterAST {
     return result;
   }
 
-  public void disposeChildren(@NotNull List<LighterASTNode> children) {
-  }
-
   @NotNull
   public static LighterASTNode wrap(@NotNull ASTNode node) {
     return node.getFirstChildNode() == null && node.getTextLength() > 0 ? new TokenNodeWrapper(node) : new NodeWrapper(node);