diff --git a/src/_imaging.c b/src/_imaging.c
index 2a7bc8d3f..6241dc3ca 100644
--- a/src/_imaging.c
+++ b/src/_imaging.c
@@ -338,12 +338,6 @@ static const char *no_palette = "image has no palette";
 static const char *readonly = "image is readonly";
 /* static const char* no_content = "image has no content"; */
 
-void *
-ImagingError_OSError(void) {
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_OSError, "error when accessing file");
-    return NULL;
-}
-
 void *
 ImagingError_MemoryError(void) {
     return PyErr_NoMemory();
@@ -369,11 +363,6 @@ ImagingError_ValueError(const char *message) {
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void
-ImagingError_Clear(void) {
-    PyErr_Clear();
-}
-
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* HELPERS                                */
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/libImaging/File.c b/src/libImaging/File.c
index 76d0abccc..901fe83ad 100644
--- a/src/libImaging/File.c
+++ b/src/libImaging/File.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ ImagingSavePPM(Imaging im, const char *outfile) {
 
     fp = fopen(outfile, "wb");
     if (!fp) {
-        (void)ImagingError_OSError();
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_OSError, "error when accessing file");
         return 0;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libImaging/Imaging.h b/src/libImaging/Imaging.h
index 39ecdbff6..bfe67d462 100644
--- a/src/libImaging/Imaging.h
+++ b/src/libImaging/Imaging.h
@@ -270,8 +270,6 @@ ImagingSectionLeave(ImagingSectionCookie *cookie);
 /* Exceptions */
 /* ---------- */
 
-extern void *
-ImagingError_OSError(void);
 extern void *
 ImagingError_MemoryError(void);
 extern void *
@@ -280,8 +278,6 @@ extern void *
 ImagingError_Mismatch(void); /* maps to ValueError by default */
 extern void *
 ImagingError_ValueError(const char *message);
-extern void
-ImagingError_Clear(void);
 
 /* Transform callbacks */
 /* ------------------- */
diff --git a/src/libImaging/Storage.c b/src/libImaging/Storage.c
index 11d6c06cc..6fe26e1bd 100644
--- a/src/libImaging/Storage.c
+++ b/src/libImaging/Storage.c
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ ImagingNewInternal(const char *mode, int xsize, int ysize, int dirty) {
         return im;
     }
 
-    ImagingError_Clear();
+    PyErr_Clear();
 
     // Try to allocate the image once more with smallest possible block size
     MUTEX_LOCK(&ImagingDefaultArena.mutex);