diff --git a/lib/rdoc/token_stream.rb b/lib/rdoc/token_stream.rb
index abf5fc0980..cc89397c60 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/token_stream.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/token_stream.rb
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ module RDoc::TokenStream
   # with the given class names. Other token types are not wrapped in spans.
 
   def self.to_html(token_stream)
-    starting_title = false
-
     token_stream.map do |t|
       next unless t
 
@@ -47,15 +45,6 @@ def self.to_html(token_stream)
 
       text = t[:text]
 
-      if :on_ident == t[:kind] && starting_title
-        starting_title = false
-        style = 'ruby-identifier ruby-title'
-      end
-
-      if :on_kw == t[:kind] and 'def' == t[:text]
-        starting_title = true
-      end
-
       text = CGI.escapeHTML text
 
       if style then
diff --git a/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_test.rb b/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_test.rb
index 26d224eac2..820c8c2597 100644
--- a/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_test.rb
+++ b/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_test.rb
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ def bar
 
     expected = <<-'EXPECTED'
 
-<pre class="ruby"><span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier ruby-title">foo</span>
+<pre class="ruby"><span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier">foo</span>
   [
     <span class="ruby-string">&#39;\\&#39;</span>,
     <span class="ruby-string">&#39;\&#39;&#39;</span>,
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ def bar
     <span class="ruby-regexp">/#{}/</span>
   ]
 <span class="ruby-keyword">end</span>
-<span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier ruby-title">bar</span>
+<span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier">bar</span>
 <span class="ruby-keyword">end</span>
 </pre>
     EXPECTED
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ def bar
 
     expected = <<-'EXPECTED'
 
-<pre class="ruby"><span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier ruby-title">foo</span>
+<pre class="ruby"><span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier">foo</span>
   [
     <span class="ruby-string">`\\`</span>,
     <span class="ruby-string">`\&#39;\&quot;\``</span>,
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ def bar
     <span class="ruby-node">`#{}`</span>
   ]
 <span class="ruby-keyword">end</span>
-<span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier ruby-title">bar</span>
+<span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier">bar</span>
 <span class="ruby-keyword">end</span>
 </pre>
     EXPECTED
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ def test_accept_verbatim_redefinable_operators
 
     %w[| ^ &amp; &lt;=&gt; == === =~ &gt; &gt;= &lt; &lt;= &lt;&lt; &gt;&gt; + - * / % ** ~ +@ -@ [] []= ` !  != !~].each do |html_escaped_op|
       expected += <<-EXPECTED
-<span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier ruby-title">#{html_escaped_op}</span>
+<span class="ruby-keyword">def</span> <span class="ruby-identifier">#{html_escaped_op}</span>
 <span class="ruby-keyword">end</span>
       EXPECTED
     end