diff --git a/Source/cmTarget.cxx b/Source/cmTarget.cxx
index d964f0021..1b6c93ed3 100644
--- a/Source/cmTarget.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmTarget.cxx
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ public:
 cmTarget::cmTarget(std::string const& name, cmState::TargetType type,
                    Visibility vis, cmMakefile* mf)
 {
-  assert(mf || type == cmState::GLOBAL_TARGET);
+  assert(mf);
   this->Name = name;
   this->TargetTypeValue = type;
-  this->Makefile = CM_NULLPTR;
+  this->Makefile = mf;
   this->HaveInstallRule = false;
   this->DLLPlatform = false;
   this->IsAndroid = false;
@@ -82,25 +82,6 @@ cmTarget::cmTarget(std::string const& name, cmState::TargetType type,
     this->RecordDependencies = false;
   }
 
-  if (mf) {
-    this->SetMakefile(mf);
-  }
-}
-
-cmTarget cmTarget::CopyForDirectory(cmMakefile* mf) const
-{
-  assert(this->GetType() == cmState::GLOBAL_TARGET);
-  assert(this->GetMakefile() == CM_NULLPTR);
-  cmTarget result(*this);
-  result.SetMakefile(mf);
-  return result;
-}
-
-void cmTarget::SetMakefile(cmMakefile* mf)
-{
-  // Set our makefile.
-  this->Makefile = mf;
-
   // Check whether this is a DLL platform.
   this->DLLPlatform =
     (this->Makefile->IsOn("WIN32") || this->Makefile->IsOn("CYGWIN") ||
diff --git a/Source/cmTarget.h b/Source/cmTarget.h
index ebc92f31a..4b182bb9a 100644
--- a/Source/cmTarget.h
+++ b/Source/cmTarget.h
@@ -88,9 +88,6 @@ public:
   ///! Set/Get the name of the target
   const std::string& GetName() const { return this->Name; }
 
-  /** Get a copy of this target adapted for the given directory.  */
-  cmTarget CopyForDirectory(cmMakefile* mf) const;
-
   /** Get the cmMakefile that owns this target.  */
   cmMakefile* GetMakefile() const { return this->Makefile; }
 
@@ -283,8 +280,6 @@ public:
   };
 
 private:
-  void SetMakefile(cmMakefile* mf);
-
   bool HandleLocationPropertyPolicy(cmMakefile* context) const;
 
   const char* GetSuffixVariableInternal(bool implib) const;