diff --git a/src/ObjectUtils.js b/src/ObjectUtils.js
index 07a16df501..41dc34cca7 100644
--- a/src/ObjectUtils.js
+++ b/src/ObjectUtils.js
@@ -77,34 +77,3 @@ module.exports.getKeyValueArrayDiffs = function(before, after) {
 
     return results;
 };
-
-/**
- * Shallow-compare two objects for equality: each key and value must be
- * identical
- */
-module.exports.shallowEqual = function(objA, objB) {
-    if (objA === objB) {
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    if (typeof objA !== 'object' || objA === null ||
-          typeof objB !== 'object' || objB === null) {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    var keysA = Object.keys(objA);
-    var keysB = Object.keys(objB);
-
-    if (keysA.length !== keysB.length) {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    for (var i = 0; i < keysA.length; i++) {
-        var key = keysA[i];
-        if (!objB.hasOwnProperty(key) || objA[key] !== objB[key]) {
-            return false;
-        }
-    }
-
-    return true;
-};
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index 6304cc4f48..3cd933eaaa 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ var SlashCommands = require("../../SlashCommands");
 var dis = require("../../dispatcher");
 var Tinter = require("../../Tinter");
 var rate_limited_func = require('../../ratelimitedfunc');
-var ObjectUtils = require('../../ObjectUtils');
 
 var DEBUG = false;
 
@@ -165,11 +164,6 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         }
     },
 
-    shouldComponentUpdate: function(nextProps, nextState) {
-        return (!ObjectUtils.shallowEqual(this.props, nextProps) ||
-                !ObjectUtils.shallowEqual(this.state, nextState));
-    },
-
     componentWillUnmount: function() {
         // set a boolean to say we've been unmounted, which any pending
         // promises can use to throw away their results.
diff --git a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
index 04ae3fa4f1..ff4df26179 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ var EventTimeline = Matrix.EventTimeline;
 var sdk = require('../../index');
 var MatrixClientPeg = require("../../MatrixClientPeg");
 var dis = require("../../dispatcher");
-var ObjectUtils = require('../../ObjectUtils');
 
 var PAGINATE_SIZE = 20;
 var INITIAL_SIZE = 20;
@@ -147,11 +146,6 @@ var TimelinePanel = React.createClass({
         }
     },
 
-    shouldComponentUpdate: function(nextProps, nextState) {
-        return (!ObjectUtils.shallowEqual(this.props, nextProps) ||
-                !ObjectUtils.shallowEqual(this.state, nextState));
-    },
-
     componentWillUnmount: function() {
         // set a boolean to say we've been unmounted, which any pending
         // promises can use to throw away their results.