diff --git a/llarp/router/abstractrouter.hpp b/llarp/router/abstractrouter.hpp
index 211c18634..f53c2917a 100644
--- a/llarp/router/abstractrouter.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router/abstractrouter.hpp
@@ -81,10 +81,6 @@ namespace llarp
     tooling::RouterHive* hive = nullptr;
 #endif
 
-    // XXX / TODO: this code shouldn't ever make it into a release binary
-    virtual void
-    stopGossipingRC() = 0;
-
     virtual ~AbstractRouter() = default;
 
     virtual bool
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 9a8034a9e..6589660a5 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ namespace llarp
   void
   Router::GossipRCIfNeeded(const RouterContact rc)
   {
-    if (not m_shouldGossipRC)
+    if (disableGossipingRC_TestingOnly())
       return;
 
     /// if we are not a service node forget about gossip
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.hpp b/llarp/router/router.hpp
index db393c073..5af8c6b38 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.hpp
@@ -51,13 +51,6 @@ namespace llarp
 {
   struct Router final : public AbstractRouter
   {
-    // XXX / TODO: this code shouldn't ever make it into a release binary
-    virtual void
-    stopGossipingRC()
-    {
-      m_shouldGossipRC = false;
-    }
-    bool m_shouldGossipRC = true;
 
     llarp_time_t _lastPump = 0s;
     bool ready;
@@ -536,6 +529,13 @@ namespace llarp
 
     void
     MessageSent(const RouterID& remote, SendStatus status);
+
+   protected:
+    virtual bool
+    disableGossipingRC_TestingOnly()
+    {
+      return false;
+    };
   };
 
 }  // namespace llarp
diff --git a/pybind/llarp/router.cpp b/pybind/llarp/router.cpp
index 8dcedc6a4..7531c27c5 100644
--- a/pybind/llarp/router.cpp
+++ b/pybind/llarp/router.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ namespace llarp
     py::class_<AbstractRouter>(mod, "AbstractRouter")
         .def("rc", &AbstractRouter::rc)
         .def("Stop", &AbstractRouter::Stop)
-        .def("peerDb", &AbstractRouter::peerDb)
-        .def("stopGossipingRC", &AbstractRouter::stopGossipingRC);
+        .def("peerDb", &AbstractRouter::peerDb);
   }
 }  // namespace llarp