diff --git a/src/HtmlUtils.js b/src/HtmlUtils.js
index 73ab28e65c..fb7a14d6fb 100644
--- a/src/HtmlUtils.js
+++ b/src/HtmlUtils.js
@@ -66,19 +66,10 @@ const VARIATION_SELECTOR = String.fromCharCode(0xFE0F);
  * need emojification.
  * unicodeToImage uses this function.
  */
-export function mightContainEmoji(str) {
+function mightContainEmoji(str) {
     return SURROGATE_PAIR_PATTERN.test(str) || SYMBOL_PATTERN.test(str);
 }
 
-/**
- * Returns true if the string definitely contains a single emoji.
- * @param {String} str String to test
- * @return {Boolean}
- */
-export function isSingleEmoji(str) {
-    return mightContainEmoji(str) && SINGLE_EMOJI_REGEX.test(str);
-}
-
 /**
  * Returns the shortcode for an emoji character.
  *
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/ReactionsRow.js b/src/components/views/messages/ReactionsRow.js
index 57d2afc429..0abb1015b9 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/ReactionsRow.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/ReactionsRow.js
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import sdk from '../../../index';
 import { _t } from '../../../languageHandler';
 import { isContentActionable } from '../../../utils/EventUtils';
-import { isSingleEmoji } from '../../../HtmlUtils';
 import MatrixClientPeg from '../../../MatrixClientPeg';
 
 // The maximum number of reactions to initially show on a message.
@@ -115,9 +114,6 @@ export default class ReactionsRow extends React.PureComponent {
 
         const ReactionsRowButton = sdk.getComponent('messages.ReactionsRowButton');
         let items = reactions.getSortedAnnotationsByKey().map(([content, events]) => {
-            if (!isSingleEmoji(content)) {
-                return null;
-            }
             const count = events.size;
             if (!count) {
                 return null;