diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index 31083d27..c53d0d97 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ void	server_client_check_mouse(struct client *c,
 void	server_client_handle_key(int, struct mouse_event *, void *);
 void	server_client_repeat_timer(int, short, void *);
 void	server_client_check_exit(struct client *);
-void	server_client_check_backoff(struct client *);
 void	server_client_check_redraw(struct client *);
 void	server_client_set_title(struct client *);
 void	server_client_reset_state(struct client *);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 611cf5c3..ed34cbe8 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ extern char   **environ;
 /* Automatic name refresh interval, in milliseconds. */
 #define NAME_INTERVAL 500
 
-/* Maximum data to buffer for output before suspending writing to a tty. */
-#define BACKOFF_THRESHOLD 16384
-
 /*
  * Maximum sizes of strings in message data. Don't forget to bump
  * PROTOCOL_VERSION if any of these change!
@@ -1044,7 +1041,6 @@ struct tty {
 #define TTY_UTF8 0x8
 #define TTY_STARTED 0x10
 #define TTY_OPENED 0x20
-#define TTY_BACKOFF 0x40
 	int		 flags;
 
 	int		 term_flags;
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index b1034304..c2b75cc8 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ tty_write(
 		if (s->curw->window == wp->window) {
 			if (c->tty.term == NULL)
 				continue;
-			if (c->tty.flags & (TTY_FREEZE|TTY_BACKOFF))
+			if (c->tty.flags & TTY_FREEZE)
 				continue;
 			oo = &s->options;