diff --git a/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py b/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
index d977b4bb4dce..391cbcdd78da 100644
--- a/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
+++ b/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
@@ -199,20 +199,6 @@ def get_backend():
     return sys.modules[__name__]
 
 
-def require_admin_context(f):
-    """Decorator to require admin request context.
-
-    The first argument to the wrapped function must be the context.
-
-    """
-
-    @functools.wraps(f)
-    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
-        nova.context.require_admin_context(args[0])
-        return f(*args, **kwargs)
-    return wrapper
-
-
 def require_context(f):
     """Decorator to require *any* user or admin context.
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/db/test_db_api.py b/nova/tests/unit/db/test_db_api.py
index b6d7ba663340..8e13100d66ee 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/db/test_db_api.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/db/test_db_api.py
@@ -176,9 +176,6 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(test.TestCase):
     def test_require_context_decorator_wraps_functions_properly(self):
         self._test_decorator_wraps_helper(sqlalchemy_api.require_context)
 
-    def test_require_admin_context_decorator_wraps_functions_properly(self):
-        self._test_decorator_wraps_helper(sqlalchemy_api.require_admin_context)
-
     def test_require_deadlock_retry_wraps_functions_properly(self):
         self._test_decorator_wraps_helper(
             oslo_db_api.wrap_db_retry(max_retries=5, retry_on_deadlock=True))