diff --git a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 2de80319a..772bfadb4 100644
--- a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ set(source_files
     model/type-id.cc
     model/attribute-construction-list.cc
     model/object-base.cc
-    model/ref-count-base.cc
     model/object.cc
     model/test.cc
     model/random-variable-stream.cc
@@ -278,7 +277,6 @@ set(header_files
     model/priority-queue-scheduler.h
     model/ptr.h
     model/random-variable-stream.h
-    model/ref-count-base.h
     model/rng-seed-manager.h
     model/rng-stream.h
     model/scheduler.h
diff --git a/src/core/model/ref-count-base.cc b/src/core/model/ref-count-base.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index 055458f51..000000000
--- a/src/core/model/ref-count-base.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2007 Georgia Tech Research Corporation
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
- * published by the Free Software Foundation;
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
- * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
- *
- * Author:  George Riley <riley@ece.gatech.edu>
- * Adapted from original code in object.h by:
- * Authors: Gustavo Carneiro <gjcarneiro@gmail.com>,
- *          Mathieu Lacage <mathieu.lacage@sophia.inria.fr>
- */
-
-#include "ref-count-base.h"
-
-#include "log.h"
-
-/**
- * \file
- * \ingroup ptr
- * ns3::RefCountBase implementation.
- * \deprecated See \ref ns3::SimpleRefCount
- */
-
-namespace ns3
-{
-
-NS_LOG_COMPONENT_DEFINE("RefCountBase");
-
-RefCountBase::~RefCountBase()
-{
-    NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this);
-}
-
-} // namespace ns3
diff --git a/src/core/model/ref-count-base.h b/src/core/model/ref-count-base.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 463241424..000000000
--- a/src/core/model/ref-count-base.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2007 Georgia Tech Research Corporation
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
- * published by the Free Software Foundation;
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
- * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
- *
- * Author:  George Riley <riley@ece.gatech.edu>
- * Adapted from original code in object.h by:
- * Authors: Gustavo Carneiro <gjcarneiro@gmail.com>,
- *          Mathieu Lacage <mathieu.lacage@sophia.inria.fr>
- */
-#ifndef REF_COUNT_BASE_H
-#define REF_COUNT_BASE_H
-
-#include "simple-ref-count.h"
-
-/**
- * \file
- * \ingroup ptr
- * ns3::RefCountBase declaration.
- * \deprecated See \ref ns3::SimpleRefCount
- */
-
-namespace ns3
-{
-
-/**
- * \brief A deprecated way to get reference-counting powers
- *
- * \deprecated
- * Users who wish to use reference counting for a class of their own should use
- * instead the template \ref ns3::SimpleRefCount. This class is maintained
- * purely for compatibility to avoid breaking the code of users.
- */
-class RefCountBase : public SimpleRefCount<RefCountBase>
-{
-  public:
-    /**
-     * This only thing this class does it declare a virtual destructor
-     */
-    virtual ~RefCountBase();
-};
-
-} // namespace ns3
-
-#endif /* REF_COUNT_BASE_H */