diff --git a/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.cpp b/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.cpp
index b787a87ea..06d666f45 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.cpp
@@ -219,7 +219,6 @@ std::string SubgraphBuilderParameters::augmentationWeightTranslator(
 
 /****************************************************************/
 vector<size_t> SubgraphBuilder::buildTree(const GaussianFactorGraph &gfg,
-                                          const FastMap<Key, size_t> &ordering,
                                           const vector<double> &weights) const {
   const SubgraphBuilderParameters &p = parameters_;
   switch (p.skeletonType) {
@@ -336,7 +335,7 @@ Subgraph SubgraphBuilder::operator()(const GaussianFactorGraph &gfg) const {
   vector<double> weights = this->weights(gfg);
 
   // Build spanning tree.
-  const vector<size_t> tree = buildTree(gfg, forward_ordering, weights);
+  const vector<size_t> tree = buildTree(gfg, weights);
   if (tree.size() != n - 1) {
     throw std::runtime_error(
         "SubgraphBuilder::operator() failure: tree.size() != n-1, might be caused by disconnected graph");
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.h b/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.h
index 65e288c0d..c4f8702ea 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/SubgraphBuilder.h
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ class GTSAM_EXPORT SubgraphBuilder {
 
  private:
   std::vector<size_t> buildTree(const GaussianFactorGraph &gfg,
-                                const FastMap<Key, size_t> &ordering,
                                 const std::vector<double> &weights) const;
   std::vector<size_t> unary(const GaussianFactorGraph &gfg) const;
   std::vector<size_t> natural_chain(const GaussianFactorGraph &gfg) const;