diff --git a/src/wireviz/wireviz.py b/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
index c947a71..04814f2 100755
--- a/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
+++ b/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
@@ -57,13 +57,6 @@ def parse(yaml_input: str, file_out: (str, Path) = None, return_types: (None, st
             elif ty == list:
                 yaml_data[sec] = []
 
-    # add connections
-    def check_designators(what, where): # helper function
-        for i, x in enumerate(what):
-            if x not in yaml_data[where[i]]:
-                return False
-        return True
-
     autogenerated_ids = {}
     for connection in yaml_data['connections']:
         # find first component (potentially nested inside list or dict)