diff --git a/generic_server.cc b/generic_server.cc
index c8db8324f0..1017522f32 100644
--- a/generic_server.cc
+++ b/generic_server.cc
@@ -276,10 +276,6 @@ server::server(const sstring& server_name, logging::logger& logger, config cfg)
 {
 }
 
-server::~server()
-{
-}
-
 future<> server::stop() {
     co_await shutdown();
     co_await std::exchange(_all_connections_stopped, make_ready_future<>());
diff --git a/generic_server.hh b/generic_server.hh
index 3ec2866774..44d4ca78f8 100644
--- a/generic_server.hh
+++ b/generic_server.hh
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ private:
 public:
     server(const sstring& server_name, logging::logger& logger, config cfg);
 
-    virtual ~server();
+    virtual ~server() = default;
 
     // Makes sure listening sockets no longer generate new connections and aborts the
     // connected sockets, so that new requests are not served and existing requests don't