diff --git a/include/xo/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp b/include/xo/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp
index 6663538e..290eaf09 100644
--- a/include/xo/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.hpp
@@ -100,9 +100,6 @@ namespace xo {
             /** visit vsm-owned memory pools; call visitor(info) for each **/
             void visit_pools(const MemorySizeVisitor & visitor) const;
 
-            /** install hardwired functions into global {symtab,env} **/
-            void install_core_primitives();
-
             /** begin interactive session. **/
             void begin_interactive_session();
             /** begin batch session **/
diff --git a/src/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp b/src/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp
index 74612aa6..d459622a 100644
--- a/src/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp
+++ b/src/interpreter2/VirtualSchematikaMachine.cpp
@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ namespace xo {
             }
 
             this->global_env_ = reader_.global_env();
-
-            this->install_core_primitives();
         }
 
         obj<AAllocator>
@@ -875,45 +873,6 @@ namespace xo {
             }
          }
 
-        // ----- primitive: fn_n_args() -----
-
-        obj<AGCObject>
-        xfer_fn_n_args(obj<ARuntimeContext> rcx,
-                       obj<AGCObject> fn_gco)
-        {
-            scope log(XO_DEBUG(true));
-
-            log && log(xtag("fn_gco.tseq", fn_gco._typeseq()));
-            log && log(xtag("fn_gco.tname", TypeRegistry::id2name(fn_gco._typeseq())));
-
-            auto fn_proc = FacetRegistry::instance().try_variant<AProcedure,AGCObject>(fn_gco);
-
-            assert(fn_proc);
-
-            return DInteger::box<AGCObject>(rcx.allocator(), fn_proc.n_args());
-        }
-
-        static DPrimitive_gco_1_gco s_fn_n_args_pm("_fn_n_args",
-                                                   &xfer_fn_n_args);
-
-        // ----- install primitives -----
-
-        void
-        VirtualSchematikaMachine::install_core_primitives()
-        {
-            /* fn_n_args */
-            {
-                const DUniqueString * name
-                    = reader_.intern_string("fn_n_args");
-
-                global_env_->_upsert_value
-                    (mm_.to_op(),
-                     name,
-                     Reflect::require<DPrimitive_gco_1_gco>(),
-                     obj<AGCObject,DPrimitive_gco_1_gco>(&s_fn_n_args_pm));
-            }
-        }
-
     } /*namespace scm*/
 } /*namespace xo*/