diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/soname.h b/libvips/include/vips/soname.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 7fd6c91d..00000000
--- a/libvips/include/vips/soname.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-/* This file is autogenerated, do not edit. */
-#define VIPS_SONAME "libvips.so.42"