diff --git a/src/hb-iter.hh b/src/hb-iter.hh
index 917ffc748..d596334ec 100644
--- a/src/hb-iter.hh
+++ b/src/hb-iter.hh
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ inline void
 hb_fill (C& c, const V &v)
 {
   for (auto i = hb_iter (c); i; i++)
-    hb_assign (*i, v);
+    *i = v;
 }
 
 template <typename S, typename D,
diff --git a/src/hb-machinery.hh b/src/hb-machinery.hh
index 868154acb..89ad8ac63 100644
--- a/src/hb-machinery.hh
+++ b/src/hb-machinery.hh
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ struct hb_sanitize_context_t :
   {
     if (this->may_edit (obj, hb_static_size (Type)))
     {
-      hb_assign (* const_cast<Type *> (obj), v);
+      * const_cast<Type *> (obj) = v;
       return true;
     }
     return false;
diff --git a/src/hb-null.hh b/src/hb-null.hh
index 21810b210..9d23d50c3 100644
--- a/src/hb-null.hh
+++ b/src/hb-null.hh
@@ -76,19 +76,6 @@ struct hb_static_size
 #define hb_static_size(T) hb_static_size<T>::value
 
 
-/* hb_assign (obj, value)
- * Calls obj.set (value) if obj.min_size is defined and value has different type
- * from obj, or obj = v otherwise. */
-
-template <typename T, typename V, typename B>
-struct _hb_assign
-{ static inline void value (T &o, const V v) { o = v; } };
-
-template <typename T, typename V>
-static inline void hb_assign (T &o, const V v)
-{ _hb_assign<T, V, hb_true_t>::value (o, v); }
-
-
 /*
  * Null()
  */
diff --git a/src/hb-open-type.hh b/src/hb-open-type.hh
index 5756a9b0f..26df8e776 100644
--- a/src/hb-open-type.hh
+++ b/src/hb-open-type.hh
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ struct ArrayOf
     /* TODO Umm. Just exhaust the iterator instead?  Being extra
      * cautious right now.. */
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < count; i++, items++)
-      hb_assign (arrayZ[i], *items);
+      arrayZ[i] = *items;
     return_trace (true);
   }