diff --git a/mercurial/hg.py b/mercurial/hg.py
--- a/mercurial/hg.py
+++ b/mercurial/hg.py
@@ -723,8 +723,6 @@ def clone(
             srcpeer = source
         branches = (None, branch or [])
         # XXX path: simply use the peer `path` object when this become available
-        srcpeer = source.peer()  # in case we were called with a localrepo
-        branches = (None, branch or [])
         origsource = source = srcpeer.url()
     srclock = destlock = destwlock = cleandir = None
     destpeer = None
diff --git a/mercurial/httppeer.py b/mercurial/httppeer.py
--- a/mercurial/httppeer.py
+++ b/mercurial/httppeer.py
@@ -403,9 +403,6 @@ class httppeer(wireprotov1peer.wirepeer)
     def local(self):
         return None
 
-    def peer(self):
-        return self
-
     def canpush(self):
         return True
 
diff --git a/mercurial/interfaces/repository.py b/mercurial/interfaces/repository.py
--- a/mercurial/interfaces/repository.py
+++ b/mercurial/interfaces/repository.py
@@ -123,12 +123,6 @@ class ipeerconnection(interfaceutil.Inte
         can be used to interface with it. Otherwise returns ``None``.
         """
 
-    def peer():
-        """Returns an object conforming to this interface.
-
-        Most implementations will ``return self``.
-        """
-
     def canpush():
         """Returns a boolean indicating if this peer can be pushed to."""
 
diff --git a/mercurial/localrepo.py b/mercurial/localrepo.py
--- a/mercurial/localrepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/localrepo.py
@@ -325,9 +325,6 @@ class localpeer(repository.peer):
     def local(self):
         return self._repo
 
-    def peer(self):
-        return self
-
     def canpush(self):
         return True
 
diff --git a/mercurial/sshpeer.py b/mercurial/sshpeer.py
--- a/mercurial/sshpeer.py
+++ b/mercurial/sshpeer.py
@@ -416,9 +416,6 @@ class sshv1peer(wireprotov1peer.wirepeer
     def local(self):
         return None
 
-    def peer(self):
-        return self
-
     def canpush(self):
         return True