diff --git a/src/Makevars b/src/Makevars
index 4f3fa42ce752..e48e45561292 100755
--- a/src/Makevars
+++ b/src/Makevars
@@ -24,12 +24,6 @@ FILES = $(CFILES) $(CPPFILES)
 SOURCES = $(FILES)
 OBJECTS = $(CPPFILES:.cpp=.o) $(CFILES:.c=.o)
 
-strippedLib: $(SHLIB)
-	if test -e "/usr/bin/strip" & test -e "/bin/uname" & [[ `uname` == "Linux" ]] ; then /usr/bin/strip --strip-debug $(SHLIB); fi
-clean:
-	rm $(OBJECTS)
-.phony: strippedLib clean
-
 RHTSLIB_LIBS=$(shell "${R_HOME}/bin${R_ARCH_BIN}/Rscript" -e \
     'Rhtslib::pkgconfig("PKG_LIBS")')
 RHTSLIB_CPPFLAGS=$(shell "${R_HOME}/bin${R_ARCH_BIN}/Rscript" -e \