diff --git a/include/aare/utils/SparseMask.hpp b/include/aare/utils/SparseMask.hpp
index acb1e4f..95b6966 100644
--- a/include/aare/utils/SparseMask.hpp
+++ b/include/aare/utils/SparseMask.hpp
@@ -38,9 +38,6 @@ class SparseMask {
 
     void write_to_file(const std::filesystem::path &filename) const;
 
-    /// @brief Get number of bad channels
-    size_t num_bad_channels() const;
-
   private:
     /// @brief stoarge format of the sparse mask, either row major or column
     /// major
diff --git a/python/aare/__init__.py b/python/aare/__init__.py
index 35f90ed..10872f8 100644
--- a/python/aare/__init__.py
+++ b/python/aare/__init__.py
@@ -54,5 +54,3 @@ from ._aare import (
     PixelHistogram_u32,
     PixelHistogram_u64,
 )
-
-from ._aare import SparseMask
diff --git a/python/src/module.cpp b/python/src/module.cpp
index e8d2c5c..023a19e 100644
--- a/python/src/module.cpp
+++ b/python/src/module.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #include "bind_PixelMap.hpp"
 #include "bind_RawFile.hpp"
 #include "bind_calibration.hpp"
-#include "utils/bind_SparseMask.hpp"
 
 // TODO! migrate the other names
 #include "ctb_raw_file.hpp"
@@ -74,7 +73,6 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(_aare, m) {
     define_fit_bindings(m);
     define_interpolation_bindings(m);
     define_jungfrau_data_file_io_bindings(m);
-    define_sparse_mask_bindings(m);
 
     bind_calibration(m);
 
diff --git a/src/utils/SparseMask.cpp b/src/utils/SparseMask.cpp
index f44ee46..a250dcb 100644
--- a/src/utils/SparseMask.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/SparseMask.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,4 @@ bool SparseMask::is_masked(const size_t row, const size_t col) const {
     }
 }
 
-size_t SparseMask::num_bad_channels() const { return innerindices_.size(); }
-
 } // namespace aare
\ No newline at end of file