diff --git a/src/fix_pair.cpp b/src/fix_pair.cpp
index d33324805d..b71e65b4b7 100644
--- a/src/fix_pair.cpp
+++ b/src/fix_pair.cpp
@@ -356,19 +356,3 @@ double FixPair::memory_usage()
   else bytes += (double)atom->nmax*ncols * sizeof(double);
   return bytes;
 }
-
-int FixPair::modify_param(int narg, char **arg) {
-    int processed_args=0;
-    int iarg = 0;
-    while (iarg < narg) {
-        if (strcmp(arg[iarg], "every") == 0) {
-            nevery = utils::inumeric(FLERR, arg[iarg+1], false, lmp);
-            if (nevery < 1) error->all(FLERR, "Illegal fix_modify pair every value: {}", nevery);
-            iarg += 2;
-            processed_args+=2;
-        } else
-            iarg +=1;
-    }
-
-    return processed_args; // how many arguments were processed
-}
diff --git a/src/fix_pair.h b/src/fix_pair.h
index 56d092c71d..c3d8454185 100644
--- a/src/fix_pair.h
+++ b/src/fix_pair.h
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ class FixPair : public Fix {
 
   double memory_usage() override;
 
-  int modify_param(int, char **) override;
-
  private:
   int nevery,nfield,ncols;
   bigint lasttime;