diff --git a/debian/rules.d/1-maintainer.mk b/debian/rules.d/1-maintainer.mk
index ca70e933d3c5..bbed8dd47810 100644
--- a/debian/rules.d/1-maintainer.mk
+++ b/debian/rules.d/1-maintainer.mk
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ help:
 	@echo "  editconfigs         : Edit core arch configs"
 	@echo "  printchanges        : Print the current changelog entries (from git)"
 	@echo "  insertchanges       : Insert current changelog entries (from git)"
-	@echo "  startnewrelease     : Start a new changelog set"
 	@echo "  compileselftests    : Only compile the selftests listed on ubuntu_selftests variable"
 	@echo "  runselftests        : Run the selftests listed on ubuntu_selftests variable"
 	@echo
@@ -128,38 +127,6 @@ ifeq ($(do_fips_checks),true)
 endif
 	$(DROOT)/scripts/checks/final-checks "$(DEBIAN)" "$(prev_fullver)" $(do_skip_checks)
 
-.PHONY: startnewrelease
-startnewrelease:
-	dh_testdir
-	@[ -f "$(DEBIAN)/etc/update.conf" ] && . "$(DEBIAN)/etc/update.conf"; \
-	if [ -n "$$BACKPORT_SUFFIX" ]; then \
-		ver="$$(dpkg-parsechangelog -l"$$DEBIAN_MASTER/changelog" -SVersion)$${BACKPORT_SUFFIX/--/}.1"; \
-		prev_ver="$$(dpkg-parsechangelog -l"$(DEBIAN)/changelog" -SVersion)"; \
-		if [ "$${ver%.*}" = "$${prev_ver%.*}" ]; then \
-			ver="$${ver%.*}.$$(( $${prev_ver##*.} +1 ))"; \
-		fi; \
-	else \
-		rev=$(revision); \
-		suffix=$$(echo "$${rev}" | sed 's/^[0-9]*\.[0-9]*//'); \
-		abi=$${rev%%.*}; \
-		upload=$${rev#*.}; \
-		upload=$${upload%$${suffix}}; \
-		ver=$(release)-$$((abi + 1)).$$((upload + 1))$${suffix}; \
-	fi; \
-	now="$(shell date -R)"; \
-	echo "Creating new changelog set for $$ver..."; \
-	echo -e "$(src_pkg_name) ($$ver) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium\n" > $(DEBIAN)/changelog.new; \
-	echo "  CHANGELOG: Do not edit directly. Autogenerated at release." >> \
-		$(DEBIAN)/changelog.new; \
-	echo "  CHANGELOG: Use the printchanges target to see the curent changes." \
-		>> $(DEBIAN)/changelog.new; \
-	echo "  CHANGELOG: Use the insertchanges target to create the final log." \
-		>> $(DEBIAN)/changelog.new; \
-	echo -e "\n -- $$DEBFULLNAME <$$DEBEMAIL>  $$now\n" >> \
-		$(DEBIAN)/changelog.new ; \
-	cat $(DEBIAN)/changelog >> $(DEBIAN)/changelog.new; \
-	mv $(DEBIAN)/changelog.new $(DEBIAN)/changelog
-
 .PHONY: compileselftests
 compileselftests:
 	# a loop is needed here to fail on errors