diff --git a/lib/internal.h b/lib/internal.h
index 9a3ef89d..b1061658 100644
--- a/lib/internal.h
+++ b/lib/internal.h
@@ -177,8 +177,6 @@ int init_crypto(struct crypt_device *ctx);
 
 int crypt_get_debug_level(void);
 
-int crypt_memlock_inc(struct crypt_device *ctx);
-int crypt_memlock_dec(struct crypt_device *ctx);
 void crypt_process_priority(struct crypt_device *cd, int *priority, bool raise);
 
 int crypt_metadata_locking_enabled(void);
diff --git a/lib/libcryptsetup.h b/lib/libcryptsetup.h
index edb3078b..bfb98c53 100644
--- a/lib/libcryptsetup.h
+++ b/lib/libcryptsetup.h
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ void crypt_set_iteration_time(struct crypt_device *cd, uint64_t iteration_time_m
 
 /**
  * Helper to lock/unlock memory to avoid swap sensitive data to disk.
+ * \b Deprecated, only for backward compatibility. Memory with keys are locked automatically.
  *
  * @param cd crypt device handle, can be @e NULL
  * @param lock 0 to unlock otherwise lock memory
@@ -353,7 +354,7 @@ void crypt_set_iteration_time(struct crypt_device *cd, uint64_t iteration_time_m
  * @note Only root can do this.
  * @note It locks/unlocks all process memory, not only crypt context.
  */
-int crypt_memory_lock(struct crypt_device *cd, int lock);
+int crypt_memory_lock(struct crypt_device *cd, int lock) __attribute__((deprecated));
 
 /**
  * Set global lock protection for on-disk metadata (file-based locking).
diff --git a/lib/setup.c b/lib/setup.c
index c7bbc6cf..c75e06b9 100644
--- a/lib/setup.c
+++ b/lib/setup.c
@@ -5016,7 +5016,7 @@ int crypt_get_rng_type(struct crypt_device *cd)
 
 int crypt_memory_lock(struct crypt_device *cd, int lock)
 {
-	return lock ? crypt_memlock_inc(cd) : crypt_memlock_dec(cd);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void crypt_set_compatibility(struct crypt_device *cd, uint32_t flags)
diff --git a/lib/utils.c b/lib/utils.c
index 5742d3ec..9d79ee29 100644
--- a/lib/utils.c
+++ b/lib/utils.c
@@ -88,45 +88,6 @@ void crypt_process_priority(struct crypt_device *cd, int *priority, bool raise)
 	}
 }
 
-/* MEMLOCK */
-#define DEFAULT_PROCESS_PRIORITY -18
-
-static int _priority;
-static int _memlock_count = 0;
-
-// return 1 if memory is locked
-int crypt_memlock_inc(struct crypt_device *ctx)
-{
-	if (!_memlock_count++) {
-		log_dbg(ctx, "Locking memory.");
-		if (mlockall(MCL_CURRENT | MCL_FUTURE) == -1) {
-			log_dbg(ctx, "Cannot lock memory with mlockall.");
-			_memlock_count--;
-			return 0;
-		}
-		errno = 0;
-		if (((_priority = getpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0)) == -1) && errno)
-			log_err(ctx, _("Cannot get process priority."));
-		else
-			if (setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, DEFAULT_PROCESS_PRIORITY))
-				log_dbg(ctx, "setpriority %d failed: %s",
-					DEFAULT_PROCESS_PRIORITY, strerror(errno));
-	}
-	return _memlock_count ? 1 : 0;
-}
-
-int crypt_memlock_dec(struct crypt_device *ctx)
-{
-	if (_memlock_count && (!--_memlock_count)) {
-		log_dbg(ctx, "Unlocking memory.");
-		if (munlockall() == -1)
-			log_err(ctx, _("Cannot unlock memory."));
-		if (setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, _priority))
-			log_dbg(ctx, "setpriority %d failed: %s", _priority, strerror(errno));
-	}
-	return _memlock_count ? 1 : 0;
-}
-
 /* Keyfile processing */
 
 /*