diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Namespace.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Namespace.h
index 25b769aaec..705c4e8962 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Namespace.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Namespace.h
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ namespace Empty {
     class I2CDevice;
     class I2CDeviceManager;
     class OpticalFlow;
-    class PrivateMember;
     class RCInput;
     class RCOutput;
     class Scheduler;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Private.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Private.h
index dc68f54bae..f8e6cbdb97 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Private.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/AP_HAL_Empty_Private.h
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 #include "GPIO.h"
 #include "I2CDevice.h"
 #include "OpticalFlow.h"
-#include "PrivateMember.h"
 #include "RCInput.h"
 #include "RCOutput.h"
 #include "Scheduler.h"
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.cpp
index 9d415c9944..5c888a9fbc 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ HAL_Empty::HAL_Empty() :
         &rcoutDriver,
         &schedulerInstance,
         &utilInstance,
-        &opticalFlowDriver),
-    _member(new EmptyPrivateMember(123))
+        &opticalFlowDriver)
 {}
 
 void HAL_Empty::run(int argc, char* const argv[], Callbacks* callbacks) const
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.h
index fdc2dc0fad..abbc89caa9 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/HAL_Empty_Class.h
@@ -3,12 +3,9 @@
 #include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL.h>
 
 #include "AP_HAL_Empty_Namespace.h"
-#include "PrivateMember.h"
 
 class HAL_Empty : public AP_HAL::HAL {
 public:
     HAL_Empty();
     void run(int argc, char* const* argv, Callbacks* callbacks) const override;
-private:
-    Empty::PrivateMember *_member;
 };
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/PrivateMember.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/PrivateMember.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index ba7f8d7516..0000000000
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/PrivateMember.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-
-#include "PrivateMember.h"
-
-using namespace Empty;
-
-PrivateMember::PrivateMember(uint16_t foo) :
-    _foo(foo)
-{}
-
-void PrivateMember::init() {}
-
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/PrivateMember.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/PrivateMember.h
deleted file mode 100644
index f445c6f8fe..0000000000
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Empty/PrivateMember.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-/* Just a stub as an example of how to implement a private member of an
- * AP_HAL module */
-
-#include "AP_HAL_Empty.h"
-
-class Empty::PrivateMember {
-public:
-    PrivateMember(uint16_t foo);
-    void init();
-private:
-    uint16_t _foo;
-};