diff --git a/src/libutil/filesystem.cc b/src/libutil/filesystem.cc
index 56be76ecc..11cc0c0e7 100644
--- a/src/libutil/filesystem.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/filesystem.cc
@@ -63,30 +63,19 @@ std::pair<AutoCloseFD, Path> createTempFile(const Path & prefix)
     return {std::move(fd), tmpl};
 }
 
-void createSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link,
-    std::optional<time_t> mtime)
+void createSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link)
 {
     if (symlink(target.c_str(), link.c_str()))
         throw SysError("creating symlink from '%1%' to '%2%'", link, target);
-    if (mtime) {
-        struct timeval times[2];
-        times[0].tv_sec = *mtime;
-        times[0].tv_usec = 0;
-        times[1].tv_sec = *mtime;
-        times[1].tv_usec = 0;
-        if (lutimes(link.c_str(), times))
-            throw SysError("setting time of symlink '%s'", link);
-    }
 }
 
-void replaceSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link,
-    std::optional<time_t> mtime)
+void replaceSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link)
 {
     for (unsigned int n = 0; true; n++) {
         Path tmp = canonPath(fmt("%s/.%d_%s", dirOf(link), n, baseNameOf(link)));
 
         try {
-            createSymlink(target, tmp, mtime);
+            createSymlink(target, tmp);
         } catch (SysError & e) {
             if (e.errNo == EEXIST) continue;
             throw;
diff --git a/src/libutil/util.hh b/src/libutil/util.hh
index 00fcb9b79..b302d6f45 100644
--- a/src/libutil/util.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/util.hh
@@ -256,14 +256,12 @@ inline Paths createDirs(PathView path)
 /**
  * Create a symlink.
  */
-void createSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link,
-    std::optional<time_t> mtime = {});
+void createSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link);
 
 /**
  * Atomically create or replace a symlink.
  */
-void replaceSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link,
-    std::optional<time_t> mtime = {});
+void replaceSymlink(const Path & target, const Path & link);
 
 void renameFile(const Path & src, const Path & dst);