diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/root.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/root.py
index 17b82a9251b..1ffe1c18b57 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/root.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/root.py
@@ -265,20 +265,6 @@ class RootController(controller.JSAppLauncher, UsesAnnotations):
         else:
             return "No data with id=%d" % id
 
-    @web.expose
-    def peek(self, trans, id=None):
-        """Returns a 'peek' at the data.
-        """
-        # TODO: unused?
-        # TODO: unencoded id
-        data = trans.sa_session.query(self.app.model.HistoryDatasetAssociation).get(id)
-        if data:
-            yield "<html><body><pre>"
-            yield data.peek
-            yield "</pre></body></html>"
-        else:
-            yield "No data with id=%d" % id
-
     # ---- History management -----------------------------------------------
     @web.expose
     def history_delete(self, trans, id):