diff --git a/src/util/expr.h b/src/util/expr.h
index 1546d4eed1a..c78bc9b2981 100644
--- a/src/util/expr.h
+++ b/src/util/expr.h
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening, kroening@kroening.com
 #ifndef CPROVER_UTIL_EXPR_H
 #define CPROVER_UTIL_EXPR_H
 
-#define OPERANDS_IN_GETSUB
-
 #include <functional>
 #include "type.h"
 
@@ -67,18 +65,10 @@ class exprt:public irept
   { return !operands().empty(); }
 
   operandst &operands()
-  #ifdef OPERANDS_IN_GETSUB
   { return (operandst &)get_sub(); }
-  #else
-  { return (operandst &)(add(ID_operands).get_sub()); }
-  #endif
 
   const operandst &operands() const
-  #ifdef OPERANDS_IN_GETSUB
   { return (const operandst &)get_sub(); }
-  #else
-  { return (const operandst &)(find(ID_operands).get_sub()); }
-  #endif
 
   exprt &op0()
   { return operands().front(); }
diff --git a/src/util/irep_ids.def b/src/util/irep_ids.def
index 2cd85d63963..ca224b6114e 100644
--- a/src/util/irep_ids.def
+++ b/src/util/irep_ids.def
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ IREP_ID_TWO(empty_string, )
 IREP_ID_ONE(let)
 IREP_ID_ONE(nil)
 IREP_ID_ONE(type)
-IREP_ID_ONE(operands)
 IREP_ID_ONE(bool)
 IREP_ID_ONE(c_bool)
 IREP_ID_ONE(proper_bool)