diff --git a/fairmq/Device.cxx b/fairmq/Device.cxx
index fa267f53..c27ea8b5 100644
--- a/fairmq/Device.cxx
+++ b/fairmq/Device.cxx
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ Device::Device(ProgOptions* config, tools::Version version)
     , fVersion(version)
     , fRate(DefaultRate)
     , fInitializationTimeoutInS(DefaultInitTimeout)
-    , fTransitioning(false)
 {
     SubscribeToNewTransition("device", [&](Transition transition) {
         LOG(trace) << "device notified on new transition: " << transition;
@@ -143,73 +142,6 @@ Device::Device(ProgOptions* config, tools::Version version)
 }
 #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
 
-void Device::TransitionTo(State s)
-{
-    {
-        lock_guard<mutex> lock(fTransitionMtx);
-        if (fTransitioning) {
-            LOG(debug) << "Attempting a transition with TransitionTo() while another one is already in progress";
-            throw OngoingTransition("Attempting a transition with TransitionTo() while another one is already in progress");
-        }
-        fTransitioning = true;
-    }
-
-    using mq::State;
-
-    StateQueue sq;
-    StateSubscription ss(tools::ToString(fId, ".TransitionTo"), fStateMachine, sq);
-
-    State currentState = GetCurrentState();
-
-    while (s != currentState) {
-        switch (currentState) {
-            case State::Idle:
-                if (s == State::Exiting) { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::End); }
-                else { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::InitDevice); }
-            break;
-            case State::InitializingDevice:
-                ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::CompleteInit);
-            break;
-            case State::Initialized:
-                if (s == State::Exiting || s == State::Idle) { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::ResetDevice); }
-                else { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::Bind); }
-            break;
-            case State::Bound:
-                if (s == State::DeviceReady || s == State::Ready || s == State::Running) { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::Connect); }
-                else { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::ResetDevice); }
-            break;
-            case State::DeviceReady:
-                if (s == State::Running || s == State::Ready) { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::InitTask); }
-                else { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::ResetDevice); }
-            break;
-            case State::Ready:
-                if (s == State::Running) { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::Run); }
-                else { ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::ResetTask); }
-            break;
-            case State::Running:
-                ChangeStateOrThrow(Transition::Stop);
-            break;
-            case State::Binding:
-            case State::Connecting:
-            case State::InitializingTask:
-            case State::ResettingDevice:
-            case State::ResettingTask:
-                LOG(debug) << "TransitionTo ignoring state: " << currentState << " (expected, automatic transition).";
-            break;
-            default:
-                LOG(debug) << "TransitionTo ignoring state: " << currentState;
-            break;
-        }
-
-        currentState = sq.WaitForNext();
-    }
-
-    {
-        lock_guard<mutex> lock(fTransitionMtx);
-        fTransitioning = false;
-    }
-}
-
 void Device::InitWrapper()
 {
     // run initialization once CompleteInit transition is requested
diff --git a/fairmq/Device.h b/fairmq/Device.h
index 8f95b499..0ec5970c 100644
--- a/fairmq/Device.h
+++ b/fairmq/Device.h
@@ -552,8 +552,6 @@ class Device
     /// @param state state to wait for
     void WaitForState(const std::string& state) { WaitForState(GetState(state)); }
 
-    void TransitionTo(State state);
-
     /// @brief Subscribe with a callback to state changes
     /// @param key id to identify your subscription
     /// @param callback callback (called with the new state as the parameter)
@@ -683,8 +681,6 @@ class Device
     StateQueue fStateQueue;
 
     std::mutex fTransportMtx;   ///< guards access to transports container
-    std::mutex fTransitionMtx;
-    bool fTransitioning;
 };
 
 }   // namespace fair::mq
diff --git a/test/device/_transitions.cxx b/test/device/_transitions.cxx
index e1eea343..dcf320ed 100644
--- a/test/device/_transitions.cxx
+++ b/test/device/_transitions.cxx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /********************************************************************************
- * Copyright (C) 2014-2018 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH  *
+ * Copyright (C) 2014-2023 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH  *
  *                                                                              *
  *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
  *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
@@ -20,83 +20,6 @@ namespace
 using namespace std;
 using namespace fair::mq;
 
-class SlowDevice : public Device
-{
-  public:
-    SlowDevice() = default;
-
-  protected:
-    void Init() override
-    {
-        this_thread::sleep_for(chrono::milliseconds(100));
-    }
-};
-
-void transitionTo(const vector<State>& states, int numExpectedStates)
-{
-    Device device;
-
-    thread t([&] {
-        for (const auto& s : states) {
-            device.TransitionTo(s);
-        }
-    });
-
-    int numStates = 0;
-
-    device.SubscribeToStateChange("testRunner", [&numStates](State /* state */) {
-        numStates++;
-    });
-
-    device.RunStateMachine();
-
-    if (t.joinable()) {
-        t.join();
-    }
-
-    LOG(info) << "expected " << numExpectedStates << ", encountered " << numStates << " states";
-    EXPECT_EQ(numStates, numExpectedStates);
-}
-
-TEST(Transitions, TransitionTo)
-{
-    transitionTo({State::Exiting}, 2);
-    transitionTo({State::InitializingDevice, State::Initialized, State::Exiting}, 6);
-    transitionTo({State::Initialized, State::Exiting}, 6);
-    transitionTo({State::DeviceReady, State::Bound, State::Running, State::Exiting}, 24);
-    transitionTo({State::Ready, State::Exiting}, 14);
-    transitionTo({State::Running, State::Exiting}, 16);
-}
-
-TEST(Transitions, ConcurrentTransitionTos)
-{
-    fair::Logger::SetConsoleSeverity("debug");
-    SlowDevice slowDevice;
-
-    vector<State> states({State::Ready, State::Exiting});
-
-    thread t1([&] {
-        for (const auto& s : states) {
-            slowDevice.TransitionTo(s);
-        }
-    });
-
-    thread t2([&] {
-        this_thread::sleep_for(chrono::milliseconds(50));
-        ASSERT_THROW(slowDevice.TransitionTo(State::Exiting), OngoingTransition);
-    });
-
-    slowDevice.RunStateMachine();
-
-    if (t1.joinable()) {
-        t1.join();
-    }
-
-    if (t2.joinable()) {
-        t2.join();
-    }
-}
-
 TEST(Transitions, InvalidChangeState)
 {
     Device device;