diff --git a/server/core/internal/service.hh b/server/core/internal/service.hh
index eb6552628..ec7b1519f 100644
--- a/server/core/internal/service.hh
+++ b/server/core/internal/service.hh
@@ -309,15 +309,6 @@ Service* service_internal_find(const char* name);
  */
 bool serviceHasBackend(Service* service, SERVER* server);
 
-/**
- * @brief Start new a listener for a service
- *
- * @param service Service where the listener is linked
- * @param port Listener to start
- * @return True if listener was started
- */
-bool serviceLaunchListener(Service* service, const SListener& port);
-
 /**
  * @brief Find listener with specified properties.
  *
diff --git a/server/core/service.cc b/server/core/service.cc
index 3337230c8..df9f6a2f7 100644
--- a/server/core/service.cc
+++ b/server/core/service.cc
@@ -313,19 +313,6 @@ bool service_isvalid(Service* service)
                      service) != this_unit.services.end();
 }
 
-/**
- * Start an individual port/protocol pair
- *
- * @param service       The service
- * @param port          The port to start
- * @return              The number of listeners started
- */
-static int serviceStartPort(Service* service, const SListener& port)
-{
-    mxb_assert(service && service->router && service->router_instance);
-    return port->listen();
-}
-
 /**
  * Start all ports for a service.
  * serviceStartAllPorts will try to start all listeners associated with the service.
@@ -348,7 +335,10 @@ int serviceStartAllPorts(Service* service)
                 break;
             }
 
-            listeners += serviceStartPort(service, listener);
+            if (listener->listen())
+            {
+                ++listeners;
+            }
         }
 
         if (service->state == SERVICE_STATE_FAILED)
@@ -420,22 +410,6 @@ int serviceInitialize(Service* service)
     return listeners;
 }
 
-bool serviceLaunchListener(Service* service, const SListener& port)
-{
-    mxb_assert(service->state != SERVICE_STATE_FAILED);
-    bool rval = true;
-    LockGuard guard(service->lock);
-
-    if (serviceStartPort(service, port) == 0)
-    {
-        /** Failed to start the listener */
-        rval = false;
-    }
-
-
-    return rval;
-}
-
 bool serviceStopListener(SERVICE* svc, const char* name)
 {
     auto listener = listener_find(name);