diff --git a/src/library/task_queue.cpp b/src/library/task_queue.cpp
index de77722e54..202835ad06 100644
--- a/src/library/task_queue.cpp
+++ b/src/library/task_queue.cpp
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ task_queue & get_global_task_queue() {
     return *g_tq;
 }
 
-task_cancellation_exception::task_cancellation_exception(generic_task_result const & cancelled_task) :
-        m_cancelled_task(cancelled_task) {
+task_cancellation_exception::task_cancellation_exception(generic_task_result const & cancelled_task) {
     std::ostringstream out;
     if (cancelled_task) {
         out << "task cancelled: " << cancelled_task.description();
diff --git a/src/library/task_queue.h b/src/library/task_queue.h
index 21b80ed2ff..849521bb93 100644
--- a/src/library/task_queue.h
+++ b/src/library/task_queue.h
@@ -212,14 +212,11 @@ task_result<T> mk_pure_task_result(T const & t, std::string const & desc) {
 }
 
 class task_cancellation_exception : public std::exception {
-    generic_task_result m_cancelled_task;
     std::string m_msg;
 public:
     task_cancellation_exception() : task_cancellation_exception(generic_task_result()) {}
     task_cancellation_exception(generic_task_result const & cancelled_task);
     char const * what() const noexcept override;
-
-    generic_task_result get_cancelled_task() const { return m_cancelled_task; }
 };
 
 class task_queue {