diff --git a/lib/puppet/provider/apt_key/apt_key.rb b/lib/puppet/provider/apt_key/apt_key.rb
index e9e377b412..56f9a072e5 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/provider/apt_key/apt_key.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/provider/apt_key/apt_key.rb
@@ -177,29 +177,7 @@ def tempfile(content)
     file
   end
 
-  # Update a key if it is expired
-  def update_expired_key
-    # Return without doing anything if refresh or expired is false
-    return unless resource[:refresh] == true && resource[:expired] == true
-
-    # Execute command to update key
-    command = []
-
-    unless resource[:source].nil? && resource[:content].nil?
-      raise(_('an unexpected condition occurred while trying to add the key: %{_resource}') % { _resource: resource[:id] })
-    end
-
-    # Breaking up the command like this is needed because it blows up
-    # if --recv-keys isn't the last argument.
-    command.push('adv', '--no-tty', '--keyserver', resource[:server])
-    unless resource[:options].nil?
-      command.push('--keyserver-options', resource[:options])
-    end
-    command.push('--recv-keys', resource[:id])
-  end
-
   def exists?
-    update_expired_key
     # report expired keys as non-existing when refresh => true
     @property_hash[:ensure] == :present && !(resource[:refresh] && @property_hash[:expired])
   end