diff --git a/src/client.js b/src/client.js
index 38bf40d96..ee4c85e52 100644
--- a/src/client.js
+++ b/src/client.js
@@ -1310,7 +1310,6 @@ wrapCryptoFuncs(MatrixClient, [
     "bootstrapSecretStorage",
     "addSecretStorageKey",
     "hasSecretStorageKey",
-    "secretStorageKeyNeedsUpgrade",
     "storeSecret",
     "getSecret",
     "isSecretStored",
diff --git a/src/crypto/SecretStorage.js b/src/crypto/SecretStorage.js
index 3334af1aa..227837a3e 100644
--- a/src/crypto/SecretStorage.js
+++ b/src/crypto/SecretStorage.js
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@ import {encodeBase64} from "./olmlib";
 
 export const SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES
     = "m.secret_storage.v1.aes-hmac-sha2";
-// don't use curve25519 for writing data.
-export const SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_CURVE25519
-    = "m.secret_storage.v1.curve25519-aes-sha2";
 
 const ZERO_STR = "\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0";
 
@@ -193,15 +190,6 @@ export class SecretStorage extends EventEmitter {
         return !!(await this.getKey(keyId));
     }
 
-    async keyNeedsUpgrade(keyId) {
-        const keyInfo = await this.getKey(keyId);
-        if (keyInfo && keyInfo[1].algorithm === SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_CURVE25519) {
-            return true;
-        } else {
-            return false;
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Check whether a key matches what we expect based on the key info
      *
@@ -211,9 +199,7 @@ export class SecretStorage extends EventEmitter {
      * @return {boolean} whether or not the key matches
      */
     async checkKey(key, info) {
-        switch (info.algorithm) {
-        case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES:
-        {
+        if (info.algorithm === SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES) {
             if (info.mac) {
                 const {mac} = await SecretStorage._calculateKeyCheck(key, info.iv);
                 return info.mac === mac;
@@ -221,22 +207,7 @@ export class SecretStorage extends EventEmitter {
                 // if we have no information, we have to assume the key is right
                 return true;
             }
-        }
-        case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_CURVE25519:
-        {
-            let decryption = null;
-            try {
-                decryption = new global.Olm.PkDecryption();
-                const gotPubkey = decryption.init_with_private_key(key);
-                // make sure it agrees with the given pubkey
-                return gotPubkey === info.pubkey;
-            } catch (e) {
-                return false;
-            } finally {
-                if (decryption) decryption.free();
-            }
-        }
-        default:
+        } else {
             throw new Error("Unknown algorithm");
         }
     }
@@ -352,24 +323,11 @@ export class SecretStorage extends EventEmitter {
                 "m.secret_storage.key." + keyId,
             );
             const encInfo = secretInfo.encrypted[keyId];
-            switch (keyInfo.algorithm) {
-            case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES:
+            // only use keys we understand the encryption algorithm of
+            if (keyInfo.algorithm === SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES) {
                 if (encInfo.iv && encInfo.ciphertext && encInfo.mac) {
                     keys[keyId] = keyInfo;
                 }
-                break;
-            case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_CURVE25519:
-                if (
-                    keyInfo.pubkey && (
-                        (encInfo.ciphertext && encInfo.mac && encInfo.ephemeral) ||
-                        encInfo.passthrough
-                    )
-                ) {
-                    keys[keyId] = keyInfo;
-                }
-                break;
-            default:
-                // do nothing if we don't understand the encryption algorithm
             }
         }
 
@@ -445,32 +403,11 @@ export class SecretStorage extends EventEmitter {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            switch (keyInfo.algorithm) {
-            case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES:
+            // only use keys we understand the encryption algorithm of
+            if (keyInfo.algorithm === SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES) {
                 if (encInfo.iv && encInfo.ciphertext && encInfo.mac) {
                     ret[keyId] = keyInfo;
                 }
-                break;
-            case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_CURVE25519:
-                if (keyInfo.pubkey && encInfo.ciphertext && encInfo.mac
-                    && encInfo.ephemeral) {
-                    if (checkKey) {
-                        try {
-                            pkVerify(
-                                keyInfo,
-                                this._crossSigningInfo.getId('master'),
-                                this._crossSigningInfo.userId,
-                            );
-                        } catch (e) {
-                            // not trusted, so move on to the next key
-                            continue;
-                        }
-                    }
-                    ret[keyId] = keyInfo;
-                }
-                break;
-            default:
-                // do nothing if we don't understand the encryption algorithm
             }
         }
         return Object.keys(ret).length ? ret : null;
@@ -674,9 +611,7 @@ export class SecretStorage extends EventEmitter {
             throw new Error("App returned unknown key from getSecretStorageKey!");
         }
 
-        switch (keys[keyId].algorithm) {
-        case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES:
-        {
+        if (keys[keyId].algorithm === SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_AES) {
             const decryption = {
                 encrypt: async function(secret) {
                     return await encryptAES(secret, privateKey, name);
@@ -686,36 +621,7 @@ export class SecretStorage extends EventEmitter {
                 },
             };
             return [keyId, decryption];
-        }
-        case SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1_CURVE25519:
-        {
-            const pkDecryption = new global.Olm.PkDecryption();
-            let pubkey;
-            try {
-                pubkey = pkDecryption.init_with_private_key(privateKey);
-            } catch (e) {
-                pkDecryption.free();
-                throw new Error("getSecretStorageKey callback returned invalid key");
-            }
-            if (pubkey !== keys[keyId].pubkey) {
-                pkDecryption.free();
-                throw new Error(
-                    "getSecretStorageKey callback returned incorrect key",
-                );
-            }
-            const decryption = {
-                free: pkDecryption.free.bind(pkDecryption),
-                decrypt: async function(encInfo) {
-                    return pkDecryption.decrypt(
-                        encInfo.ephemeral, encInfo.mac, encInfo.ciphertext,
-                    );
-                },
-                // needed for passthrough
-                get_private_key: pkDecryption.get_private_key.bind(pkDecryption),
-            };
-            return [keyId, decryption];
-        }
-        default:
+        } else {
             throw new Error("Unknown key type: " + keys[keyId].algorithm);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/crypto/index.js b/src/crypto/index.js
index 79b914e30..a66527fd8 100644
--- a/src/crypto/index.js
+++ b/src/crypto/index.js
@@ -831,10 +831,6 @@ Crypto.prototype.hasSecretStorageKey = function(keyID) {
     return this._secretStorage.hasKey(keyID);
 };
 
-Crypto.prototype.secretStorageKeyNeedsUpgrade = function(keyID) {
-    return this._secretStorage.keyNeedsUpgrade(keyID);
-};
-
 Crypto.prototype.getSecretStorageKey = function(keyID) {
     return this._secretStorage.getKey(keyID);
 };