diff --git a/src/Control.cc b/src/Control.cc
index dd786678..2272d3cb 100644
--- a/src/Control.cc
+++ b/src/Control.cc
@@ -1119,78 +1119,6 @@ void Control::printThermostatInfo(std::ostream& os) const
     }
 }
 
-int Control::readOccupations(std::ifstream* tfile)
-{
-    int count = 0;
-    float nel = 0.;
-    do
-    {
-        float t1 = 0.;
-        int nst  = 0;
-        if (mype_ == 0)
-        {
-#ifdef DEBUG
-            (*MPIdata::sout) << " Occupations of states..." << std::endl;
-#endif
-            (*tfile) >> nst;
-            if (nst <= 0)
-            {
-                (*MPIdata::sout)
-                    << "Control::readOccupations: numst=" << numst << std::endl;
-                (*MPIdata::sout) << "Control::readOccupations: nst=" << nst
-                                 << ", count=" << count << std::endl;
-                (*MPIdata::sout) << "Control::readOccupations: Bad repeat "
-                                    "count for state occupations"
-                                 << std::endl;
-                return -1;
-            }
-            if ((count + nst) > numst)
-            {
-                (*MPIdata::sout) << "Control::readOccupations: Occupations "
-                                    "specified for too many states"
-                                 << std::endl;
-                return -1;
-            }
-
-            (*tfile) >> t1;
-            if (t1 < 0.)
-            {
-                (*MPIdata::sout)
-                    << "Control::readOccupations: occupation=" << t1
-                    << std::endl;
-                (*MPIdata::sout) << "Control::readOccupations: occupation "
-                                    "should be a positive number"
-                                 << std::endl;
-                return -1;
-            }
-            finishRead(*tfile);
-        }
-        int mpirc = MPI_Bcast(&nst, 1, MPI_INT, 0, comm_global_);
-        if (mpirc != MPI_SUCCESS)
-        {
-            (*MPIdata::sout)
-                << "MPI Bcast of occupation numbers failed!!!" << std::endl;
-            return -1;
-        }
-        mpirc = MPI_Bcast(&t1, 1, MPI_FLOAT, 0, comm_global_);
-        if (mpirc != MPI_SUCCESS)
-        {
-            (*MPIdata::sout)
-                << "MPI Bcast of occupation failed!!!" << std::endl;
-            return -1;
-        }
-        nel += nst * t1;
-        count += nst;
-
-    } while (count < numst);
-
-    nel_ = (int)nel;
-
-    nempty_ = (2 * numst - (int)nel) / 2;
-
-    return count;
-}
-
 void Control::setLocMode(const float radius, const float lx, const float ly,
     const float lz, const float mind_centers)
 {
diff --git a/src/Control.h b/src/Control.h
index 5134c718..2e781f79 100644
--- a/src/Control.h
+++ b/src/Control.h
@@ -294,7 +294,6 @@ class Control
         const float dtol, const short kim, const short itmax, const short lfil,
         const short maxfill, const short ilutype);
     void setSpreadRadius();
-    int readOccupations(std::ifstream* tfile);
     bool checkTimeout() { return timeout_.check(); }
 
     bool occupationWidthIsZero() { return occ_width < 1.e-12; }