diff --git a/rest_framework/compat.py b/rest_framework/compat.py
index 653f3b65e..d059d1939 100644
--- a/rest_framework/compat.py
+++ b/rest_framework/compat.py
@@ -78,19 +78,6 @@ def distinct(queryset, base):
     return queryset.distinct()
 
 
-# TODO: Remove
-# field.rel is deprecated from 1.9 onwards
-def get_remote_field(field, **kwargs):
-    if 'default' in kwargs:
-        if django.VERSION < (1, 9):
-            return getattr(field, 'rel', kwargs['default'])
-        return getattr(field, 'remote_field', kwargs['default'])
-
-    if django.VERSION < (1, 9):
-        return field.rel
-    return field.remote_field
-
-
 def _resolve_model(obj):
     """
     Resolve supplied `obj` to a Django model class.
diff --git a/rest_framework/fields.py b/rest_framework/fields.py
index 8fae159ab..813b75416 100644
--- a/rest_framework/fields.py
+++ b/rest_framework/fields.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 from rest_framework import ISO_8601
 from rest_framework.compat import (
     InvalidTimeError, MaxLengthValidator, MaxValueValidator,
-    MinLengthValidator, MinValueValidator, get_remote_field, unicode_repr,
+    MinLengthValidator, MinValueValidator, unicode_repr,
     unicode_to_repr
 )
 from rest_framework.exceptions import ErrorDetail, ValidationError
@@ -1829,7 +1829,7 @@ class ModelField(Field):
                 MaxLengthValidator(self.max_length, message=message))
 
     def to_internal_value(self, data):
-        rel = get_remote_field(self.model_field, default=None)
+        rel = self.model_field.remote_field
         if rel is not None:
             return rel.model._meta.get_field(rel.field_name).to_python(data)
         return self.model_field.to_python(data)
diff --git a/rest_framework/utils/model_meta.py b/rest_framework/utils/model_meta.py
index 4f47c2c36..75baa9c7f 100644
--- a/rest_framework/utils/model_meta.py
+++ b/rest_framework/utils/model_meta.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ Usage: `get_field_info(model)` returns a `FieldInfo` instance.
 """
 from collections import OrderedDict, namedtuple
 
-from rest_framework.compat import get_remote_field
 
 FieldInfo = namedtuple('FieldResult', [
     'pk',  # Model field instance
@@ -49,19 +48,19 @@ def get_field_info(model):
 
 def _get_pk(opts):
     pk = opts.pk
-    rel = get_remote_field(pk)
+    rel = pk.remote_field
 
     while rel and rel.parent_link:
         # If model is a child via multi-table inheritance, use parent's pk.
         pk = pk.remote_field.model._meta.pk
-        rel = get_remote_field(pk)
+        rel = pk.remote_field
 
     return pk
 
 
 def _get_fields(opts):
     fields = OrderedDict()
-    for field in [field for field in opts.fields if field.serialize and not get_remote_field(field)]:
+    for field in [field for field in opts.fields if field.serialize and not field.remote_field]:
         fields[field.name] = field
 
     return fields
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ def _get_forward_relationships(opts):
     Returns an `OrderedDict` of field names to `RelationInfo`.
     """
     forward_relations = OrderedDict()
-    for field in [field for field in opts.fields if field.serialize and get_remote_field(field)]:
+    for field in [field for field in opts.fields if field.serialize and field.remote_field]:
         forward_relations[field.name] = RelationInfo(
             model_field=field,
             related_model=field.remote_field.model,
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ def _get_forward_relationships(opts):
             # manytomany do not have to_fields
             to_field=None,
             has_through_model=(
-                not get_remote_field(field).through._meta.auto_created
+                not field.remote_field.through._meta.auto_created
             ),
             reverse=False
         )
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ def _get_reverse_relationships(opts):
         reverse_relations[accessor_name] = RelationInfo(
             model_field=None,
             related_model=related,
-            to_many=get_remote_field(relation.field).multiple,
+            to_many=relation.field.remote_field.multiple,
             to_field=_get_to_field(relation.field),
             has_through_model=False,
             reverse=True
@@ -137,8 +136,8 @@ def _get_reverse_relationships(opts):
             # manytomany do not have to_fields
             to_field=None,
             has_through_model=(
-                (getattr(get_remote_field(relation.field), 'through', None) is not None) and
-                not get_remote_field(relation.field).through._meta.auto_created
+                (getattr(relation.field.remote_field, 'through', None) is not None) and
+                not relation.field.remote_field.through._meta.auto_created
             ),
             reverse=True
         )
diff --git a/tests/test_compat.py b/tests/test_compat.py
index 4c1a5e94d..aa1107617 100644
--- a/tests/test_compat.py
+++ b/tests/test_compat.py
@@ -22,20 +22,6 @@ class CompatTests(TestCase):
         expected = (timedelta.days * 86400.0) + float(timedelta.seconds) + (timedelta.microseconds / 1000000.0)
         assert compat.total_seconds(timedelta) == expected
 
-    def test_get_remote_field_with_old_django_version(self):
-        class MockField(object):
-            rel = 'example_rel'
-        compat.django.VERSION = (1, 8)
-        assert compat.get_remote_field(MockField(), default='default_value') == 'example_rel'
-        assert compat.get_remote_field(object(), default='default_value') == 'default_value'
-
-    def test_get_remote_field_with_new_django_version(self):
-        class MockField(object):
-            remote_field = 'example_remote_field'
-        compat.django.VERSION = (1, 10)
-        assert compat.get_remote_field(MockField(), default='default_value') == 'example_remote_field'
-        assert compat.get_remote_field(object(), default='default_value') == 'default_value'
-
     def test_set_rollback_for_transaction_in_managed_mode(self):
         class MockTransaction(object):
             called_rollback = False