diff --git a/src/der.rs b/src/der.rs
index 213d7b76..d3a53a70 100644
--- a/src/der.rs
+++ b/src/der.rs
@@ -26,9 +26,7 @@ pub(crate) enum Tag {
     OctetString = 0x04,
     OID = 0x06,
     Enum = 0x0A,
-    UTF8String = 0x0C,
     Sequence = CONSTRUCTED | 0x10, // 0x30
-    Set = CONSTRUCTED | 0x11,      // 0x31
     UTCTime = 0x17,
     GeneralizedTime = 0x18,
 
diff --git a/src/subject_name/mod.rs b/src/subject_name/mod.rs
index 33d64c66..5d2058be 100644
--- a/src/subject_name/mod.rs
+++ b/src/subject_name/mod.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,4 @@ pub use ip_address::IpAddr;
 mod verify;
 #[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
 pub(super) use verify::list_cert_dns_names;
-pub(super) use verify::{
-    check_name_constraints, verify_cert_subject_name, SubjectCommonNameContents,
-};
+pub(super) use verify::{check_name_constraints, verify_cert_subject_name};
diff --git a/src/subject_name/verify.rs b/src/subject_name/verify.rs
index 50d81159..9a882fd2 100644
--- a/src/subject_name/verify.rs
+++ b/src/subject_name/verify.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ pub(crate) fn verify_cert_dns_name(
     iterate_names(
         Some(cert.subject),
         cert.subject_alt_name,
-        SubjectCommonNameContents::Ignore,
         Err(Error::CertNotValidForName),
         &mut |name| {
             if let GeneralName::DnsName(presented_id) = name {
@@ -72,7 +71,6 @@ pub(crate) fn verify_cert_subject_name(
         // only against Subject Alternative Names.
         None,
         cert.inner().subject_alt_name,
-        SubjectCommonNameContents::Ignore,
         Err(Error::CertNotValidForName),
         &mut |name| {
             if let GeneralName::IpAddress(presented_id) = name {
@@ -90,7 +88,6 @@ pub(crate) fn verify_cert_subject_name(
 pub(crate) fn check_name_constraints(
     input: Option<&mut untrusted::Reader>,
     subordinate_certs: &Cert,
-    subject_common_name_contents: SubjectCommonNameContents,
     budget: &mut Budget,
 ) -> Result<(), Error> {
     let input = match input {
@@ -118,7 +115,6 @@ pub(crate) fn check_name_constraints(
         iterate_names(
             Some(child.subject),
             child.subject_alt_name,
-            subject_common_name_contents,
             Ok(()),
             &mut |name| {
                 check_presented_id_conforms_to_constraints(
@@ -310,16 +306,9 @@ enum NameIteration {
     Stop(Result<(), Error>),
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
-pub(crate) enum SubjectCommonNameContents {
-    DnsName,
-    Ignore,
-}
-
 fn iterate_names<'names>(
     subject: Option<untrusted::Input<'names>>,
     subject_alt_name: Option<untrusted::Input<'names>>,
-    subject_common_name_contents: SubjectCommonNameContents,
     result_if_never_stopped_early: Result<(), Error>,
     f: &mut impl FnMut(GeneralName<'names>) -> NameIteration,
 ) -> Result<(), Error> {
@@ -349,20 +338,7 @@ fn iterate_names<'names>(
         };
     }
 
-    if let (SubjectCommonNameContents::DnsName, Some(subject)) =
-        (subject_common_name_contents, subject)
-    {
-        match common_name(subject) {
-            Ok(Some(cn)) => match f(GeneralName::DnsName(cn)) {
-                NameIteration::Stop(result) => result,
-                NameIteration::KeepGoing => result_if_never_stopped_early,
-            },
-            Ok(None) => result_if_never_stopped_early,
-            Err(err) => Err(err),
-        }
-    } else {
-        result_if_never_stopped_early
-    }
+    result_if_never_stopped_early
 }
 
 #[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
@@ -375,7 +351,6 @@ pub(crate) fn list_cert_dns_names<'names>(
     iterate_names(
         Some(cert.subject),
         cert.subject_alt_name,
-        SubjectCommonNameContents::DnsName,
         Ok(()),
         &mut |name| {
             if let GeneralName::DnsName(presented_id) = name {
@@ -448,23 +423,3 @@ impl<'a> GeneralName<'a> {
         })
     }
 }
-
-static COMMON_NAME: untrusted::Input = untrusted::Input::from(&[85, 4, 3]);
-
-fn common_name(input: untrusted::Input) -> Result<Option<untrusted::Input>, Error> {
-    let inner = &mut untrusted::Reader::new(input);
-    der::nested(inner, der::Tag::Set, Error::BadDer, |tagged| {
-        der::nested(tagged, der::Tag::Sequence, Error::BadDer, |tagged| {
-            while !tagged.at_end() {
-                let name_oid = der::expect_tag_and_get_value(tagged, der::Tag::OID)?;
-                if name_oid == COMMON_NAME {
-                    return der::expect_tag_and_get_value(tagged, der::Tag::UTF8String).map(Some);
-                } else {
-                    // discard unused name value
-                    der::read_tag_and_get_value(tagged)?;
-                }
-            }
-            Ok(None)
-        })
-    })
-}
diff --git a/src/verify_cert.rs b/src/verify_cert.rs
index 9cfe510a..cd3d2f32 100644
--- a/src/verify_cert.rs
+++ b/src/verify_cert.rs
@@ -58,20 +58,6 @@ fn build_chain_inner(
         }
     }
 
-    // for the purpose of name constraints checking, only end-entity server certificates
-    // could plausibly have a DNS name as a subject commonName that could contribute to
-    // path validity
-    let subject_common_name_contents = if opts
-        .eku
-        .inner
-        .key_purpose_id_equals(EKU_SERVER_AUTH.oid_value)
-        && used_as_ca == UsedAsCa::No
-    {
-        subject_name::SubjectCommonNameContents::DnsName
-    } else {
-        subject_name::SubjectCommonNameContents::Ignore
-    };
-
     let result = loop_while_non_fatal_error(
         Error::UnknownIssuer,
         opts.trust_anchors,
@@ -91,12 +77,7 @@ fn build_chain_inner(
                 budget,
             )?;
 
-            check_signed_chain_name_constraints(
-                cert,
-                trust_anchor,
-                subject_common_name_contents,
-                budget,
-            )?;
+            check_signed_chain_name_constraints(cert, trust_anchor, budget)?;
 
             Ok(())
         },
@@ -188,7 +169,6 @@ fn check_signed_chain(
 fn check_signed_chain_name_constraints(
     cert_chain: &Cert,
     trust_anchor: &TrustAnchor,
-    subject_common_name_contents: subject_name::SubjectCommonNameContents,
     budget: &mut Budget,
 ) -> Result<(), Error> {
     let mut cert = cert_chain;
@@ -199,7 +179,7 @@ fn check_signed_chain_name_constraints(
 
     loop {
         untrusted::read_all_optional(name_constraints, Error::BadDer, |value| {
-            subject_name::check_name_constraints(value, cert, subject_common_name_contents, budget)
+            subject_name::check_name_constraints(value, cert, budget)
         })?;
 
         match &cert.ee_or_ca {