diff --git a/src/lauxlib.h b/src/lauxlib.h
index 8a60ddd3..d229fb2b 100644
--- a/src/lauxlib.h
+++ b/src/lauxlib.h
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ LUALIB_API int (luaL_error) (lua_State *L, const char *fmt, ...);
 LUALIB_API int (luaL_checkoption) (lua_State *L, int narg, const char *def,
                                    const char *const lst[]);
 
+/* predefined references */
+#define LUA_NOREF       (-2)
+#define LUA_REFNIL      (-1)
+
 LUALIB_API int (luaL_ref) (lua_State *L, int t);
 LUALIB_API void (luaL_unref) (lua_State *L, int t, int ref);
 
@@ -143,21 +147,4 @@ LUALIB_API void (luaL_pushresult) (luaL_Buffer *B);
 
 /* }====================================================== */
 
-
-/* compatibility with ref system */
-
-/* pre-defined references */
-#define LUA_NOREF       (-2)
-#define LUA_REFNIL      (-1)
-
-#define lua_ref(L,lock) ((lock) ? luaL_ref(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX) : \
-      (lua_pushstring(L, "unlocked references are obsolete"), lua_error(L), 0))
-
-#define lua_unref(L,ref)        luaL_unref(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, (ref))
-
-#define lua_getref(L,ref)       lua_rawgeti(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, (ref))
-
-
-#define luaL_reg	luaL_Reg
-
 #endif