diff --git a/lib/pear/PEAR.php b/lib/pear/PEAR.php
index 73909cd4404..03622a978c2 100644
--- a/lib/pear/PEAR.php
+++ b/lib/pear/PEAR.php
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ define('PEAR_ERROR_CALLBACK',  16);
  * @deprecated
  */
 define('PEAR_ERROR_EXCEPTION', 32);
-/**#@-*/
-define('PEAR_ZE2', (function_exists('version_compare') &&
-                    version_compare(zend_version(), "2-dev", "ge")));
 
 if (substr(PHP_OS, 0, 3) == 'WIN') {
     define('OS_WINDOWS', true);
@@ -533,12 +530,6 @@ class PEAR
             $ec = 'PEAR_Error';
         }
 
-        if (intval(PHP_VERSION) < 5) {
-            // little non-eval hack to fix bug #12147
-            include 'PEAR/FixPHP5PEARWarnings.php';
-            return $a;
-        }
-
         if ($skipmsg) {
             $a = new $ec($code, $mode, $options, $userinfo);
         } else {
@@ -738,10 +729,6 @@ class PEAR
     }
 }
 
-if (PEAR_ZE2) {
-    include_once 'PEAR5.php';
-}
-
 function _PEAR_call_destructors()
 {
     global $_PEAR_destructor_object_list;
@@ -749,11 +736,7 @@ function _PEAR_call_destructors()
         sizeof($_PEAR_destructor_object_list))
     {
         reset($_PEAR_destructor_object_list);
-        if (PEAR_ZE2) {
-            $destructLifoExists = PEAR5::getStaticProperty('PEAR', 'destructlifo');
-        } else {
-            $destructLifoExists = PEAR::getStaticProperty('PEAR', 'destructlifo');
-        }
+        $destructLifoExists = PEAR::getStaticProperty('PEAR', 'destructlifo');
 
         if ($destructLifoExists) {
             $_PEAR_destructor_object_list = array_reverse($_PEAR_destructor_object_list);
@@ -849,11 +832,7 @@ class PEAR_Error
         $this->mode      = $mode;
         $this->userinfo  = $userinfo;
 
-        if (PEAR_ZE2) {
-            $skiptrace = PEAR5::getStaticProperty('PEAR_Error', 'skiptrace');
-        } else {
-            $skiptrace = PEAR::getStaticProperty('PEAR_Error', 'skiptrace');
-        }
+        $skiptrace = PEAR::getStaticProperty('PEAR_Error', 'skiptrace');
 
         if (!$skiptrace) {
             $this->backtrace = debug_backtrace();
diff --git a/lib/pear/PEAR5.php b/lib/pear/PEAR5.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 428606780b7..00000000000
--- a/lib/pear/PEAR5.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-/**
- * This is only meant for PHP 5 to get rid of certain strict warning
- * that doesn't get hidden since it's in the shutdown function
- */
-class PEAR5
-{
-    /**
-    * If you have a class that's mostly/entirely static, and you need static
-    * properties, you can use this method to simulate them. Eg. in your method(s)
-    * do this: $myVar = &PEAR5::getStaticProperty('myclass', 'myVar');
-    * You MUST use a reference, or they will not persist!
-    *
-    * @access public
-    * @param  string $class  The calling classname, to prevent clashes
-    * @param  string $var    The variable to retrieve.
-    * @return mixed   A reference to the variable. If not set it will be
-    *                 auto initialised to NULL.
-    */
-    static function &getStaticProperty($class, $var)
-    {
-        static $properties;
-        if (!isset($properties[$class])) {
-            $properties[$class] = array();
-        }
-
-        if (!array_key_exists($var, $properties[$class])) {
-            $properties[$class][$var] = null;
-        }
-
-        return $properties[$class][$var];
-    }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/pear/readme_moodle.txt b/lib/pear/readme_moodle.txt
index 9c10c9ffbd6..6c6b4de003d 100644
--- a/lib/pear/readme_moodle.txt
+++ b/lib/pear/readme_moodle.txt
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ MDL-78145 - PHP 8.2 compliance. Added a missing class property that still need t
 MDL-78527 - Adding a sixth parameter to allow groups to use attributes.
 MDL-80818 - Freezing all elements with the same name (e.g. radio buttons)
 MDL-80820 - PHPdocs corrections
+MDL-73700 - remove old PHP version check and dead code
 
 Pear
 ====