diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/cache.c b/src/modules/kvs/cache.c
index 8a48f4508b1a..74dd281b6402 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/cache.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/cache.c
@@ -199,28 +199,6 @@ const json_t *cache_entry_get_treeobj (struct cache_entry *hp)
     return hp->o;
 }
 
-int cache_entry_set_treeobj (struct cache_entry *hp, const json_t *o)
-{
-    char *s = NULL;
-    int saved_errno;
-    int rc = -1;
-
-    if (!hp || !o || treeobj_validate (o) < 0) {
-        errno = EINVAL;
-        goto done;
-    }
-    if (!(s = treeobj_encode (o)))
-        goto done;
-    if (cache_entry_set_raw (hp, s, strlen (s)) < 0)
-        goto done;
-    rc = 0;
-done:
-    saved_errno = errno;
-    free (s);
-    errno = saved_errno;
-    return rc;
-}
-
 void cache_entry_destroy (void *arg)
 {
     struct cache_entry *hp = arg;
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/cache.h b/src/modules/kvs/cache.h
index 7902d9ca1b5a..75ca0ff09dea 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/cache.h
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/cache.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ struct cache;
 /* Create/destroy cache entry.
  *
  * cache_entry_create() creates an empty cache entry.  Data can be set
- * in an entry via cache_entry_set_raw() or cache_entry_set_treeobj().
+ * in an entry via cache_entry_set_raw().
  */
 struct cache_entry *cache_entry_create (void);
 void cache_entry_destroy (void *arg);
@@ -55,12 +55,6 @@ int cache_entry_force_clear_dirty (struct cache_entry *hp);
  * if it is non-NULL.  If 'data' is non-NULL, 'len' must be > 0.  If
  * 'data' is NULL, 'len' must be zero.
  *
- * treeobj set accessor is a convenience function that will take a treeobj
- * object and extract the raw data string from it and store that in
- * the cache entry.  The treeobj object 'o' is also cached internally for
- * later retrieval.  The create transfers ownership of 'o' to the
- * cache entry. 'o' must be non-NULL.
- *
  * treeobj get accessor is a convenience function that will return the
  * treeobj object equivalent of the raw data stored internally.  If the
  * internal raw data is not a valid treeobj object (i.e. improperly
@@ -72,15 +66,14 @@ int cache_entry_force_clear_dirty (struct cache_entry *hp);
  * Generally speaking, a cache entry can only be set once.  An attempt
  * to set new data in a cache entry will silently succeed.
  *
- * cache_entry_set_raw() & cache_entry_set_treeobj() &
- * cache_entry_clear_data() returns -1 on error, 0 on success
+ * cache_entry_set_raw() & cache_entry_clear_data()
+ * return -1 on error, 0 on success
  */
 int cache_entry_get_raw (struct cache_entry *hp, const void **data,
                          int *len);
 int cache_entry_set_raw (struct cache_entry *hp, const void *data, int len);
 
 const json_t *cache_entry_get_treeobj (struct cache_entry *hp);
-int cache_entry_set_treeobj (struct cache_entry *hp, const json_t *o);
 
 /* Arrange for message handler represented by 'wait' to be restarted
  * once cache entry becomes valid or not dirty at completion of a
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/test/cache.c b/src/modules/kvs/test/cache.c
index f820ad33ef04..089d94eb71d9 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/test/cache.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/test/cache.c
@@ -10,6 +10,28 @@
 #include "src/modules/kvs/waitqueue.h"
 #include "src/modules/kvs/cache.h"
 
+static int cache_entry_set_treeobj (struct cache_entry *hp, const json_t *o)
+{
+    char *s = NULL;
+    int saved_errno;
+    int rc = -1;
+
+    if (!hp || !o || treeobj_validate (o) < 0) {
+        errno = EINVAL;
+        goto done;
+    }
+    if (!(s = treeobj_encode (o)))
+        goto done;
+    if (cache_entry_set_raw (hp, s, strlen (s)) < 0)
+        goto done;
+    rc = 0;
+done:
+    saved_errno = errno;
+    free (s);
+    errno = saved_errno;
+    return rc;
+}
+
 void wait_cb (void *arg)
 {
     int *count = arg;
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/test/commit.c b/src/modules/kvs/test/commit.c
index 8f785e25894d..aecf81d1aa35 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/test/commit.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/test/commit.c
@@ -18,6 +18,28 @@
 
 static int test_global = 5;
 
+static int cache_entry_set_treeobj (struct cache_entry *hp, const json_t *o)
+{
+    char *s = NULL;
+    int saved_errno;
+    int rc = -1;
+
+    if (!hp || !o || treeobj_validate (o) < 0) {
+        errno = EINVAL;
+        goto done;
+    }
+    if (!(s = treeobj_encode (o)))
+        goto done;
+    if (cache_entry_set_raw (hp, s, strlen (s)) < 0)
+        goto done;
+    rc = 0;
+done:
+    saved_errno = errno;
+    free (s);
+    errno = saved_errno;
+    return rc;
+}
+
 /* convenience function */
 static struct cache_entry *create_cache_entry_raw (void *data, int len)
 {
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/test/lookup.c b/src/modules/kvs/test/lookup.c
index 1c3229086f2d..66ac256020ad 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/test/lookup.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/test/lookup.c
@@ -20,6 +20,28 @@ struct lookup_ref_data
     int count;
 };
 
+static int cache_entry_set_treeobj (struct cache_entry *hp, const json_t *o)
+{
+    char *s = NULL;
+    int saved_errno;
+    int rc = -1;
+
+    if (!hp || !o || treeobj_validate (o) < 0) {
+        errno = EINVAL;
+        goto done;
+    }
+    if (!(s = treeobj_encode (o)))
+        goto done;
+    if (cache_entry_set_raw (hp, s, strlen (s)) < 0)
+        goto done;
+    rc = 0;
+done:
+    saved_errno = errno;
+    free (s);
+    errno = saved_errno;
+    return rc;
+}
+
 /* convenience function */
 static struct cache_entry *create_cache_entry_raw (void *data, int len)
 {