diff --git a/pkg/restore/restore.go b/pkg/restore/restore.go
index 0bff67aa6..322a3fe75 100644
--- a/pkg/restore/restore.go
+++ b/pkg/restore/restore.go
@@ -1113,18 +1113,6 @@ func addRestoreLabels(obj metav1.Object, restoreName, backupName string) {
 	obj.SetLabels(labels)
 }
 
-// hasControllerOwner returns whether or not an object has a controller
-// owner ref. Used to identify whether or not an object should be explicitly
-// recreated during a restore.
-func hasControllerOwner(refs []metav1.OwnerReference) bool {
-	for _, ref := range refs {
-		if ref.Controller != nil && *ref.Controller {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
 // isCompleted returns whether or not an object is considered completed.
 // Used to identify whether or not an object should be restored. Only Jobs or Pods are considered
 func isCompleted(obj *unstructured.Unstructured, groupResource schema.GroupResource) (bool, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/restore/restore_test.go b/pkg/restore/restore_test.go
index c7ff98346..5d2db3b07 100644
--- a/pkg/restore/restore_test.go
+++ b/pkg/restore/restore_test.go
@@ -1222,69 +1222,6 @@ func (w *fakeWatch) ResultChan() <-chan watch.Event {
 	return make(chan watch.Event)
 }
 
-func TestHasControllerOwner(t *testing.T) {
-	tests := []struct {
-		name        string
-		object      map[string]interface{}
-		expectOwner bool
-	}{
-		{
-			name:   "missing metadata",
-			object: map[string]interface{}{},
-		},
-		{
-			name: "missing ownerReferences",
-			object: map[string]interface{}{
-				"metadata": map[string]interface{}{},
-			},
-			expectOwner: false,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "have ownerReferences, no controller fields",
-			object: map[string]interface{}{
-				"metadata": map[string]interface{}{
-					"ownerReferences": []interface{}{
-						map[string]interface{}{"foo": "bar"},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-			expectOwner: false,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "have ownerReferences, controller=false",
-			object: map[string]interface{}{
-				"metadata": map[string]interface{}{
-					"ownerReferences": []interface{}{
-						map[string]interface{}{"controller": false},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-			expectOwner: false,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "have ownerReferences, controller=true",
-			object: map[string]interface{}{
-				"metadata": map[string]interface{}{
-					"ownerReferences": []interface{}{
-						map[string]interface{}{"controller": false},
-						map[string]interface{}{"controller": false},
-						map[string]interface{}{"controller": true},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-			expectOwner: true,
-		},
-	}
-
-	for _, test := range tests {
-		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			u := &unstructured.Unstructured{Object: test.object}
-			hasOwner := hasControllerOwner(u.GetOwnerReferences())
-			assert.Equal(t, test.expectOwner, hasOwner)
-		})
-	}
-}
-
 func TestResetMetadataAndStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name        string