diff --git a/src/package.js b/src/package.js
index f4c4c8ee9..383d7f2a5 100644
--- a/src/package.js
+++ b/src/package.js
@@ -927,27 +927,6 @@ module.exports = class Package {
     }
   }
 
-  // a require function with both ES5 and ES6 default export support
-  _require(path) {
-    const modul = require(path);
-    if (modul === null || modul === undefined) {
-      // if null do not bother
-      return modul;
-    } else {
-      if (
-        modul.__esModule === true &&
-        typeof modul.default === 'object' &&
-        typeof modul.default.activate === 'function'
-      ) {
-        // __esModule flag is true and the activate function exists inside it, which means
-        // an object containing the main functions (e.g. activate, etc) is default exported
-        return modul.default;
-      } else {
-        return modul;
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   getMainModulePath() {
     if (this.resolvedMainModulePath) return this.mainModulePath;
     this.resolvedMainModulePath = true;