diff --git a/release-notes/VERSION b/release-notes/VERSION
index 4bcb857613..41e5c1c593 100644
--- a/release-notes/VERSION
+++ b/release-notes/VERSION
@@ -25,4 +25,5 @@ Versions: 3.x (for earlier see VERSION-2.x)
 #1889: Merge `ContextualSerializer` into `JsonSerializer`, `ContextualDeserializer`
  into `JsonDeserializer`
 #1916: Change `MapperFeature.USE_GETTERS_AS_SETTERS)` default to `false`
+#1917: Remove `canSerialize` and `canDeserialize` methods from `ObjectMapper`
 - Remove `MappingJsonFactory`
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/DeserializationContext.java b/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/DeserializationContext.java
index df4857dc0b..ffc32e6976 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/DeserializationContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/DeserializationContext.java
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 import java.text.DateFormat;
 import java.text.ParseException;
 import java.util.*;
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonFormat;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.ObjectIdGenerator;
@@ -535,26 +534,6 @@ public final JsonNodeFactory getNodeFactory() {
     /**********************************************************
      */
 
-    /**
-     * Method for checking whether we could find a deserializer
-     * for given type.
-     */
-    public boolean hasValueDeserializerFor(JavaType type, AtomicReference<Throwable> cause) {
-        try {
-            return _cache.hasValueDeserializerFor(this, _factory, type);
-        } catch (JsonMappingException e) {
-            if (cause != null) {
-                cause.set(e);
-            }
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            if (cause == null) { // earlier behavior
-                throw e;
-            }
-            cause.set(e);
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-    
     /**
      * Method for finding a value deserializer, and creating a contextual
      * version if necessary, for value reached via specified property.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/ObjectMapper.java b/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/ObjectMapper.java
index ea8a60677e..59cfc8457e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/ObjectMapper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/ObjectMapper.java
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import java.text.DateFormat;
 import java.util.*;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.*;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.*;
@@ -2571,46 +2570,8 @@ public <T extends JsonNode> T valueToTree(Object fromValue)
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(e.getMessage(), e);
         }
         return (T) result;
-    } 
-
-    /*
-    /**********************************************************
-    /* Public API, accessors
-    /**********************************************************
-     */
-
-    /**
-     * Method that can be called to check whether mapper thinks
-     * it could deserialize an Object of given type.
-     * Check is done by checking whether a registered deserializer can
-     * be found or built for the type; if not (either by no mapping being
-     * found, or through an <code>Exception</code> being thrown, false
-     * is returned.
-     *<p>
-     * <b>NOTE</b>: in case an exception is thrown during course of trying
-     * co construct matching deserializer, it will be effectively swallowed.
-     * If you want access to that exception, call
-     * {@link #canDeserialize(JavaType, AtomicReference)} instead.
-     *
-     * @return True if mapper can find a serializer for instances of
-     *  given class (potentially serializable), false otherwise (not
-     *  serializable)
-     */
-    public boolean canDeserialize(JavaType type)
-    {
-        return createDeserializationContext().hasValueDeserializerFor(type, null);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Method similar to {@link #canDeserialize(JavaType)} but that can return
-     * actual {@link Throwable} that was thrown when trying to construct
-     * serializer: this may be useful in figuring out what the actual problem is.
-     */
-    public boolean canDeserialize(JavaType type, AtomicReference<Throwable> cause)
-    {
-        return createDeserializationContext().hasValueDeserializerFor(type, cause);
-    }
-    
     /*
     /**********************************************************
     /* Public API, deserialization,
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/deser/DeserializerCache.java b/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/deser/DeserializerCache.java
index 217a85a370..00c078c459 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/deser/DeserializerCache.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/databind/deser/DeserializerCache.java
@@ -172,24 +172,25 @@ public KeyDeserializer findKeyDeserializer(DeserializationContext ctxt,
         return kd;
     }
 
+    // as per [databind#1917], not needed any more:
     /**
      * Method called to find out whether provider would be able to find
      * a deserializer for given type, using a root reference (i.e. not
      * through fields or membership in an array or collection)
-     */
     public boolean hasValueDeserializerFor(DeserializationContext ctxt,
             DeserializerFactory factory, JavaType type)
         throws JsonMappingException
     {
-        /* Note: mostly copied from findValueDeserializer, except for
-         * handling of unknown types
-         */
+        // Note: mostly copied from findValueDeserializer, except for
+        // handling of unknown types
         JsonDeserializer<Object> deser = _findCachedDeserializer(type);
         if (deser == null) {
             deser = _createAndCacheValueDeserializer(ctxt, factory, type);
         }
         return (deser != null);
     }
+*/
+
 
     /*
     /**********************************************************