diff --git a/target/linux/kirkwood/image/Makefile b/target/linux/kirkwood/image/Makefile
index 5dcad9850b0..da462a271d8 100644
--- a/target/linux/kirkwood/image/Makefile
+++ b/target/linux/kirkwood/image/Makefile
@@ -89,11 +89,6 @@ define Image/Build/squashfs
 	) > $(BIN_DIR)/$(IMG_PREFIX)-$(PROFILE_SANITIZED)-$(1).img
 endef
 
-define Image/mkfs/targz
-
-	$(TAR) -czpf $(BIN_DIR)/$(IMG_PREFIX)-$(PROFILE_SANITIZED)-rootfs.tar.gz --numeric-owner --owner=0 --group=0 -C $(TARGET_DIR)/ .
-endef
-
 define Image/Build/ubifs
 
  ifneq ($($(PROFILE)_UBIFS_OPTS),)