diff --git a/ctdb/include/ctdb_client.h b/ctdb/include/ctdb_client.h
index 198a8a38dbb..b89c4e49b2f 100644
--- a/ctdb/include/ctdb_client.h
+++ b/ctdb/include/ctdb_client.h
@@ -195,11 +195,6 @@ int ctdb_ctrl_get_ifaces(struct ctdb_context *ctdb,
 			 TALLOC_CTX *mem_ctx,
 			 struct ctdb_iface_list_old **ifaces);
 
-int ctdb_ctrl_modflags(struct ctdb_context *ctdb,
-		       struct timeval timeout,
-		       uint32_t destnode,
-		       uint32_t set, uint32_t clear);
-
 int ctdb_ctrl_get_all_tunables(struct ctdb_context *ctdb,
 			       struct timeval timeout, uint32_t destnode,
 			       struct ctdb_tunable_list *tunables);
diff --git a/ctdb/server/ctdb_client.c b/ctdb/server/ctdb_client.c
index 453e7b28477..5d1a30d03da 100644
--- a/ctdb/server/ctdb_client.c
+++ b/ctdb/server/ctdb_client.c
@@ -1243,71 +1243,6 @@ int ctdb_ctrl_get_ifaces(struct ctdb_context *ctdb,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/*
-  set/clear the permanent disabled bit on a remote node
- */
-int ctdb_ctrl_modflags(struct ctdb_context *ctdb, struct timeval timeout, uint32_t destnode,
-		       uint32_t set, uint32_t clear)
-{
-	int ret;
-	TDB_DATA data;
-	struct ctdb_node_map_old *nodemap=NULL;
-	struct ctdb_node_flag_change c;
-	TALLOC_CTX *tmp_ctx = talloc_new(ctdb);
-	uint32_t recmaster;
-	uint32_t *nodes;
-
-
-	/* find the recovery master */
-	ret = ctdb_ctrl_getrecmaster(ctdb, tmp_ctx, timeout, CTDB_CURRENT_NODE, &recmaster);
-	if (ret != 0) {
-		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR, (__location__ " Unable to get recmaster from local node\n"));
-		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
-		return ret;
-	}
-
-
-	/* read the node flags from the recmaster */
-	ret = ctdb_ctrl_getnodemap(ctdb, timeout, recmaster, tmp_ctx, &nodemap);
-	if (ret != 0) {
-		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR, (__location__ " Unable to get nodemap from node %u\n", destnode));
-		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
-		return -1;
-	}
-	if (destnode >= nodemap->num) {
-		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR,(__location__ " Nodemap from recmaster does not contain node %d\n", destnode));
-		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	c.pnn       = destnode;
-	c.old_flags = nodemap->nodes[destnode].flags;
-	c.new_flags = c.old_flags;
-	c.new_flags |= set;
-	c.new_flags &= ~clear;
-
-	data.dsize = sizeof(c);
-	data.dptr = (unsigned char *)&c;
-
-	/* send the flags update to all connected nodes */
-	nodes = list_of_connected_nodes(ctdb, nodemap, tmp_ctx, true);
-
-	if (ctdb_client_async_control(ctdb, CTDB_CONTROL_MODIFY_FLAGS,
-					nodes, 0,
-					timeout, false, data,
-					NULL, NULL,
-					NULL) != 0) {
-		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR, (__location__ " Unable to update nodeflags on remote nodes\n"));
-
-		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
-	return 0;
-}
-
-
 /*
   get all tunables
  */
diff --git a/ctdb/server/ctdb_recoverd.c b/ctdb/server/ctdb_recoverd.c
index acb6a7f401a..02259382382 100644
--- a/ctdb/server/ctdb_recoverd.c
+++ b/ctdb/server/ctdb_recoverd.c
@@ -424,6 +424,74 @@ static int set_recovery_mode(struct ctdb_context *ctdb,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Set/clear flags on a remote node
+ */
+static int ctdb_ctrl_modflags(struct ctdb_context *ctdb,
+			      struct timeval timeout,
+			      uint32_t destnode,
+			      uint32_t set,
+			      uint32_t clear)
+{
+	int ret;
+	TDB_DATA data;
+	struct ctdb_node_map_old *nodemap=NULL;
+	struct ctdb_node_flag_change c;
+	TALLOC_CTX *tmp_ctx = talloc_new(ctdb);
+	uint32_t recmaster;
+	uint32_t *nodes;
+
+
+	/* find the recovery master */
+	ret = ctdb_ctrl_getrecmaster(ctdb, tmp_ctx, timeout, CTDB_CURRENT_NODE, &recmaster);
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR, (__location__ " Unable to get recmaster from local node\n"));
+		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+
+	/* read the node flags from the recmaster */
+	ret = ctdb_ctrl_getnodemap(ctdb, timeout, recmaster, tmp_ctx, &nodemap);
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR, (__location__ " Unable to get nodemap from node %u\n", destnode));
+		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (destnode >= nodemap->num) {
+		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR,(__location__ " Nodemap from recmaster does not contain node %d\n", destnode));
+		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	c.pnn       = destnode;
+	c.old_flags = nodemap->nodes[destnode].flags;
+	c.new_flags = c.old_flags;
+	c.new_flags |= set;
+	c.new_flags &= ~clear;
+
+	data.dsize = sizeof(c);
+	data.dptr = (unsigned char *)&c;
+
+	/* send the flags update to all connected nodes */
+	nodes = list_of_connected_nodes(ctdb, nodemap, tmp_ctx, true);
+
+	if (ctdb_client_async_control(ctdb, CTDB_CONTROL_MODIFY_FLAGS,
+					nodes, 0,
+					timeout, false, data,
+					NULL, NULL,
+					NULL) != 0) {
+		DEBUG(DEBUG_ERR, (__location__ " Unable to update nodeflags on remote nodes\n"));
+
+		talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	talloc_free(tmp_ctx);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
 /*
  * Update flags on all connected nodes
  */