diff --git a/packages/core/src/util/forward_ref.ts b/packages/core/src/util/forward_ref.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 89e53dd337..0000000000
--- a/packages/core/src/util/forward_ref.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @license
- * Copyright Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
- *
- * Use of this source code is governed by an MIT-style license that can be
- * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
- */
-
-import {Type} from '../interface/type';
-import {getClosureSafeProperty} from './property';
-import {stringify} from './stringify';
-
-
-
-/**
- * An interface that a function passed into {@link forwardRef} has to implement.
- *
- * @usageNotes
- * ### Example
- *
- * {@example core/di/ts/forward_ref/forward_ref_spec.ts region='forward_ref_fn'}
- * @publicApi
- */
-export interface ForwardRefFn { (): any; }
-
-const __forward_ref__ = getClosureSafeProperty({__forward_ref__: getClosureSafeProperty});
-
-/**
- * Allows to refer to references which are not yet defined.
- *
- * For instance, `forwardRef` is used when the `token` which we need to refer to for the purposes of
- * DI is declared, but not yet defined. It is also used when the `token` which we use when creating
- * a query is not yet defined.
- *
- * @usageNotes
- * ### Example
- * {@example core/di/ts/forward_ref/forward_ref_spec.ts region='forward_ref'}
- * @publicApi
- */
-export function forwardRef(forwardRefFn: ForwardRefFn): Type<any> {
-  (<any>forwardRefFn).__forward_ref__ = forwardRef;
-  (<any>forwardRefFn).toString = function() { return stringify(this()); };
-  return (<Type<any>><any>forwardRefFn);
-}
-
-/**
- * Lazily retrieves the reference value from a forwardRef.
- *
- * Acts as the identity function when given a non-forward-ref value.
- *
- * @usageNotes
- * ### Example
- *
- * {@example core/di/ts/forward_ref/forward_ref_spec.ts region='resolve_forward_ref'}
- *
- * @see `forwardRef`
- * @publicApi
- */
-export function resolveForwardRef<T>(type: T): T {
-  const fn: any = type;
-  if (typeof fn === 'function' && fn.hasOwnProperty(__forward_ref__) &&
-      fn.__forward_ref__ === forwardRef) {
-    return fn();
-  } else {
-    return type;
-  }
-}