diff --git a/src/win/internal.h b/src/win/internal.h
index b9f8bba7..9dc58d5d 100644
--- a/src/win/internal.h
+++ b/src/win/internal.h
@@ -323,9 +323,6 @@ int WSAAPI uv_wsarecvfrom_workaround(SOCKET socket, WSABUF* buffers,
 int WSAAPI uv_msafd_poll(SOCKET socket, AFD_POLL_INFO* info,
     OVERLAPPED* overlapped);
 
-/* Whether ipv6 is supported */
-extern int uv_allow_ipv6;
-
 /* Whether there are any non-IFS LSPs stacked on TCP */
 extern int uv_tcp_non_ifs_lsp_ipv4;
 extern int uv_tcp_non_ifs_lsp_ipv6;
diff --git a/src/win/tcp.c b/src/win/tcp.c
index 7fd4a6af..8e95c384 100644
--- a/src/win/tcp.c
+++ b/src/win/tcp.c
@@ -769,11 +769,6 @@ int uv__tcp_connect6(uv_connect_t* req,
   BOOL success;
   DWORD bytes;
 
-  if (!uv_allow_ipv6) {
-    uv__set_sys_error(loop, WSAEAFNOSUPPORT);
-    return -1;
-  }
-
   if (handle->flags & UV_HANDLE_BIND_ERROR) {
     uv__set_sys_error(loop, handle->bind_error);
     return -1;
diff --git a/src/win/winsock.c b/src/win/winsock.c
index cbd25af0..47395bb8 100644
--- a/src/win/winsock.c
+++ b/src/win/winsock.c
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@
 #include "internal.h"
 
 
-/* Whether ipv6 is supported */
-int uv_allow_ipv6;
-
 /* Whether there are any non-IFS LSPs stacked on TCP */
 int uv_tcp_non_ifs_lsp_ipv4;
 int uv_tcp_non_ifs_lsp_ipv6;
@@ -131,8 +128,6 @@ void uv_winsock_init() {
   dummy = socket(AF_INET6, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_IP);
 
   if (dummy != INVALID_SOCKET) {
-    uv_allow_ipv6 = TRUE;
-
     opt_len = (int) sizeof protocol_info;
     if (!getsockopt(dummy,
                     SOL_SOCKET,