diff --git a/pkg/cri/server/service.go b/pkg/cri/server/service.go
index 3d40564eb..d7e18c7b5 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/server/service.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/server/service.go
@@ -422,16 +422,3 @@ func loadBaseOCISpecs(config *criconfig.Config) (map[string]*oci.Spec, error) {
 
 	return specs, nil
 }
-
-// ValidateMode validate the given mod value,
-// returns err if mod is empty or unknown
-func ValidateMode(modeStr string) error {
-	switch modeStr {
-	case string(criconfig.ModePodSandbox), string(criconfig.ModeShim):
-		return nil
-	case "":
-		return fmt.Errorf("empty sandbox controller mode")
-	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf("unknown sandbox controller mode: %s", modeStr)
-	}
-}
diff --git a/pkg/cri/server/service_test.go b/pkg/cri/server/service_test.go
index 0ed4b4de0..c0d306e30 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/server/service_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/server/service_test.go
@@ -82,17 +82,3 @@ func TestLoadBaseOCISpec(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "1.0.2", out.Version)
 	assert.Equal(t, "default", out.Hostname)
 }
-
-func TestValidateMode(t *testing.T) {
-	mode := ""
-	assert.Error(t, ValidateMode(mode))
-
-	mode = "podsandbox"
-	assert.NoError(t, ValidateMode(mode))
-
-	mode = "shim"
-	assert.NoError(t, ValidateMode(mode))
-
-	mode = "nonexistent"
-	assert.Error(t, ValidateMode(mode))
-}