diff --git a/src/emu/emuopts.cpp b/src/emu/emuopts.cpp
index 5e69f8627ce..11e369f0aca 100644
--- a/src/emu/emuopts.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/emuopts.cpp
@@ -1021,23 +1021,6 @@ slot_option &emu_options::slot_option(const std::string &device_name)
 }
 
 
-//-------------------------------------------------
-//  find_image_option
-//-------------------------------------------------
-
-const image_option *emu_options::find_image_option(const std::string &device_name) const
-{
-	auto iter = m_image_options.find(device_name);
-	return iter != m_image_options.end() ? iter->second : nullptr;
-}
-
-image_option *emu_options::find_image_option(const std::string &device_name)
-{
-	auto iter = m_image_options.find(device_name);
-	return iter != m_image_options.end() ? iter->second : nullptr;
-}
-
-
 //-------------------------------------------------
 //  image_option
 //-------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/emu/emuopts.h b/src/emu/emuopts.h
index faec84bc1a2..21df80b8a05 100644
--- a/src/emu/emuopts.h
+++ b/src/emu/emuopts.h
@@ -478,8 +478,6 @@ public:
 	bool has_slot_option(const std::string &device_name) const { return find_slot_option(device_name) ? true : false; }
 	const ::image_option &image_option(const std::string &device_name) const;
 	::image_option &image_option(const std::string &device_name);
-	::image_option *find_image_option(const std::string &device_name);
-	const ::image_option *find_image_option(const std::string &device_name) const;
 
 protected:
 	virtual void command_argument_processed() override;
diff --git a/src/emu/image.cpp b/src/emu/image.cpp
index a9f5c0fa3b3..06ae645fb39 100644
--- a/src/emu/image.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/image.cpp
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ void image_manager::options_extract()
 			}
 
 			// and set the option (provided that it hasn't been removed out from under us)
-			if (machine().options().find_image_option(image.instance_name()))
+			if (machine().options().exists(image.instance_name()))
 				machine().options().image_option(image.instance_name()).specify(std::move(image_opt));
 		}
 	}