diff --git a/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py b/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py
index 1fecb619..ea867f07 100644
--- a/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py
+++ b/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py
@@ -129,13 +129,6 @@ class Distro(distros.Distro):
             }
             rhel_util.update_sysconfig_file(out_fn, host_cfg)
 
-    def _select_hostname(self, hostname, fqdn):
-        # Should be fqdn if we can use it
-        # See: https://www.centos.org/docs/5/html/Deployment_Guide-en-US/ch-sysconfig.html#s2-sysconfig-network # noqa
-        if fqdn:
-            return fqdn
-        return hostname
-
     def _read_system_hostname(self):
         if self.uses_systemd():
             host_fn = self.systemd_hostname_conf_fn