diff --git a/lib/batch.js b/lib/batch.js
index 12972241..b069df80 100644
--- a/lib/batch.js
+++ b/lib/batch.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 var util = require('./util')
 var WriteError = require('level-errors').WriteError
-var dispatchError = util.dispatchError
 var promisify = util.promisify
 
 function Batch (levelup) {
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ Batch.prototype.write = function (callback) {
 
   try {
     this.batch.write(function (err) {
-      if (err) { return dispatchError(levelup, new WriteError(err), callback) }
+      if (err) { return callback(new WriteError(err)) }
       levelup.emit('batch', ops)
       callback()
     })
diff --git a/lib/levelup.js b/lib/levelup.js
index a4bade24..db9feb86 100644
--- a/lib/levelup.js
+++ b/lib/levelup.js
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ var NotFoundError = errors.NotFoundError
 var OpenError = errors.OpenError
 var InitializationError = errors.InitializationError
 
-var dispatchError = util.dispatchError
 var promisify = util.promisify
 
 // Possible AbstractLevelDOWN#status values:
@@ -86,7 +85,7 @@ LevelUP.prototype.open = function (callback) {
 
   this.db.open(this.options, function (err) {
     if (err) {
-      return dispatchError(self, new OpenError(err), callback)
+      return callback(new OpenError(err))
     }
     self.db = self._db
     callback(null, self)
@@ -140,7 +139,6 @@ LevelUP.prototype.get = function (key, options, callback) {
     throw new ReadError('get() requires a key argument')
   }
 
-  var self = this
   var promise
 
   callback = getCallback(options, callback)
@@ -158,7 +156,7 @@ LevelUP.prototype.get = function (key, options, callback) {
       } else {
         err = new ReadError(err)
       }
-      return dispatchError(self, err, callback)
+      return callback(err)
     }
     callback(null, value)
   })
@@ -184,7 +182,7 @@ LevelUP.prototype.put = function (key, value, options, callback) {
 
   this.db.put(key, value, options, function (err) {
     if (err) {
-      return dispatchError(self, new WriteError(err), callback)
+      return callback(new WriteError(err))
     }
     self.emit('put', key, value)
     callback()
@@ -211,7 +209,7 @@ LevelUP.prototype.del = function (key, options, callback) {
 
   this.db.del(key, options, function (err) {
     if (err) {
-      return dispatchError(self, new WriteError(err), callback)
+      return callback(new WriteError(err))
     }
     self.emit('del', key)
     callback()
@@ -247,7 +245,7 @@ LevelUP.prototype.batch = function (arr, options, callback) {
 
   this.db.batch(arr, options, function (err) {
     if (err) {
-      return dispatchError(self, new WriteError(err), callback)
+      return callback(new WriteError(err))
     }
     self.emit('batch', arr)
     callback()
@@ -287,7 +285,7 @@ function getOptions (options) {
 
 function maybeError (db, callback) {
   if (!db._isOpening() && !db.isOpen()) {
-    dispatchError(db, new ReadError('Database is not open'), callback)
+    callback(new ReadError('Database is not open'))
     return true
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 17388878..77322b3a 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@
  * <https://github.com/level/levelup/blob/master/LICENSE.md>
  */
 
-function dispatchError (db, error, callback) {
-  typeof callback === 'function' ? callback(error) : db.emit('error', error)
-}
-
 function promisify () {
   var callback
   var promise = new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
@@ -20,6 +16,5 @@ function promisify () {
 }
 
 module.exports = {
-  dispatchError: dispatchError,
   promisify: promisify
 }