diff --git a/base/poll.jl b/base/poll.jl
index fcf0e56a05351a..39dd0894713677 100644
--- a/base/poll.jl
+++ b/base/poll.jl
@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ type FileMonitor
     end
 end
 
-abstract UVPollingWatcher
-
-type PollingFileWatcher <: UVPollingWatcher
+type PollingFileWatcher
     handle::Ptr{Void}
     file::ByteString
     interval::UInt32
@@ -163,7 +161,7 @@ type _FDWatcher
         end
     end
 end
-type FDWatcher <: UVPollingWatcher
+type FDWatcher
     watcher::_FDWatcher
     readable::Bool
     writable::Bool