diff --git a/lib/dml/moodle_database.php b/lib/dml/moodle_database.php
index 00e3dbbf386..fee0eca089f 100644
--- a/lib/dml/moodle_database.php
+++ b/lib/dml/moodle_database.php
@@ -1083,11 +1083,13 @@ abstract class moodle_database {
 
     /**
      * Enable/disable detailed sql logging
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Moodle 2.9
+     * @todo MDL-49824 This will be deleted in Moodle 3.1.
      * @param bool $state
      */
     public function set_logging($state) {
-        // adodb sql logging shares one table without prefix per db - this is no longer acceptable :-(
-        // we must create one table shared by all drivers
+        debugging('set_logging() is deprecated and will not be replaced.', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/dml/tests/dml_test.php b/lib/dml/tests/dml_test.php
index 0863f30c444..4459abec9d8 100644
--- a/lib/dml/tests/dml_test.php
+++ b/lib/dml/tests/dml_test.php
@@ -5418,7 +5418,6 @@ class moodle_database_for_testing extends moodle_database {
     protected function normalise_value($column, $value) {}
     public function set_debug($state) {}
     public function get_debug() {}
-    public function set_logging($state) {}
     public function change_database_structure($sql) {}
     public function execute($sql, array $params=null) {}
     public function get_recordset_sql($sql, array $params=null, $limitfrom=0, $limitnum=0) {}