diff --git a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py
index 6a241a78..1988db04 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py
@@ -212,13 +212,6 @@ def get_block(conn, block_id):
                   projection={'_id': False}))
 
 
-@register_query(MongoDBConnection)
-def has_transaction(conn, transaction_id):
-    return bool(conn.run(
-        conn.collection('bigchain')
-        .find_one({'block.transactions.id': transaction_id})))
-
-
 @register_query(MongoDBConnection)
 def count_blocks(conn):
     return conn.run(
diff --git a/bigchaindb/backend/query.py b/bigchaindb/backend/query.py
index bdfb9e28..9aa653d7 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/backend/query.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/backend/query.py
@@ -211,20 +211,6 @@ def get_block(connection, block_id):
     raise NotImplementedError
 
 
-@singledispatch
-def has_transaction(connection, transaction_id):
-    """Check if a transaction exists in the bigchain table.
-
-    Args:
-        transaction_id (str): the id of the transaction to check.
-
-    Returns:
-        ``True`` if the transaction exists, ``False`` otherwise.
-    """
-
-    raise NotImplementedError
-
-
 @singledispatch
 def count_blocks(connection):
     """Count the number of blocks in the bigchain table.
diff --git a/bigchaindb/backend/rethinkdb/query.py b/bigchaindb/backend/rethinkdb/query.py
index 99346984..6011cc8c 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/backend/rethinkdb/query.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/backend/rethinkdb/query.py
@@ -158,13 +158,6 @@ def get_block(connection, block_id):
     return connection.run(r.table('bigchain').get(block_id))
 
 
-@register_query(RethinkDBConnection)
-def has_transaction(connection, transaction_id):
-    return bool(connection.run(
-            r.table('bigchain', read_mode=READ_MODE)
-            .get_all(transaction_id, index='transaction_id').count()))
-
-
 @register_query(RethinkDBConnection)
 def count_blocks(connection):
     return connection.run(
diff --git a/bigchaindb/core.py b/bigchaindb/core.py
index a4a65482..b5465ef5 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/core.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/core.py
@@ -542,9 +542,6 @@ class Bigchain(object):
 
         return backend.query.write_block(self.connection, block)
 
-    def transaction_exists(self, transaction_id):
-        return backend.query.has_transaction(self.connection, transaction_id)
-
     def prepare_genesis_block(self):
         """Prepare a genesis block."""
 
diff --git a/tests/backend/mongodb/test_queries.py b/tests/backend/mongodb/test_queries.py
index 48089805..80e3cc91 100644
--- a/tests/backend/mongodb/test_queries.py
+++ b/tests/backend/mongodb/test_queries.py
@@ -248,19 +248,6 @@ def test_get_block(signed_create_tx):
     assert block_db == block.to_dict()
 
 
-def test_has_transaction(signed_create_tx):
-    from bigchaindb.backend import connect, query
-    from bigchaindb.models import Block
-    conn = connect()
-
-    # create and insert block
-    block = Block(transactions=[signed_create_tx])
-    conn.db.bigchain.insert_one(block.to_dict())
-
-    assert query.has_transaction(conn, signed_create_tx.id)
-    assert query.has_transaction(conn, 'aaa') is False
-
-
 def test_count_blocks(signed_create_tx):
     from bigchaindb.backend import connect, query
     from bigchaindb.models import Block
diff --git a/tests/backend/test_generics.py b/tests/backend/test_generics.py
index 2f86d417..57a644ee 100644
--- a/tests/backend/test_generics.py
+++ b/tests/backend/test_generics.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ def test_schema(schema_func_name, args_qty):
     ('get_votes_by_block_id', 1),
     ('write_block', 1),
     ('get_block', 1),
-    ('has_transaction', 1),
     ('write_vote', 1),
     ('get_last_voted_block', 1),
     ('get_unvoted_blocks', 1),
diff --git a/tests/test_core.py b/tests/test_core.py
index 6bcabdc9..977db065 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_core.py
@@ -88,12 +88,3 @@ def test_has_previous_vote(monkeypatch):
     block = {'votes': ({'node_pubkey': 'pubkey'},)}
     with pytest.raises(Exception):
         bigchain.has_previous_vote(block)
-
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize('exists', (True, False))
-def test_transaction_exists(monkeypatch, exists):
-    from bigchaindb.core import Bigchain
-    monkeypatch.setattr(
-        'bigchaindb.backend.query.has_transaction', lambda x, y: exists)
-    bigchain = Bigchain(public_key='pubkey', private_key='privkey')
-    assert bigchain.transaction_exists('txid') is exists