diff --git a/src/example/example_synchronous.c b/src/example/example_synchronous.c
index 772af527..4d070ad2 100644
--- a/src/example/example_synchronous.c
+++ b/src/example/example_synchronous.c
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ main()
 	const char *this_name = "www.example.com";
 	uint8_t this_request_type = GETDNS_RRTYPE_A;
 	struct getdns_dict *this_response = NULL;
-	uint32_t this_response_length;
 	getdns_return_t this_ret;
 
 	/* Create the DNS context for this call */
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ main()
 	/* Make the call */
 	getdns_return_t dns_request_return =
 	    getdns_general_sync(this_context, this_name, this_request_type,
-	    this_extensions, &this_response_length, &this_response);
+	    this_extensions, &this_response);
 	/* free the extensions */
 	getdns_dict_destroy(this_extensions);
 	if (dns_request_return == GETDNS_RETURN_BAD_DOMAIN_NAME) {
diff --git a/src/getdns/getdns.h b/src/getdns/getdns.h
index ed8ebeff..745bb3f5 100644
--- a/src/getdns/getdns.h
+++ b/src/getdns/getdns.h
@@ -726,7 +726,6 @@ getdns_cancel_callback(getdns_context_t context,
  * @param name the ASCII based domain name to lookup
  * @param request_type RR type for the query, e.g. GETDNS_RR_TYPE_NS
  * @param extensions dict data structures, NULL to use no extensions
- * @param response_length response length
  * @param response response
  * @return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD on success
  */
@@ -735,14 +734,13 @@ getdns_general_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     const char *name,
     uint16_t request_type,
     struct getdns_dict *extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict **response);
+    struct getdns_dict **response);
 
 /**
  * retrieve address assigned to a DNS name
  * @param context pointer to a previously created context to be used for this call
  * @param name the ASCII based domain name to lookup
  * @param extensions dict data structures, NULL to use no extensions
- * @param response_length response length
  * @param response response
  * @return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD on success
 
@@ -751,14 +749,13 @@ getdns_return_t
 getdns_address_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     const char *name,
     struct getdns_dict *extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict **response);
+    struct getdns_dict **response);
 
 /**
  * retrieve hostname assigned to an IP address
  * @param context pointer to a previously created context to be used for this call
  * @param address the address to look up
  * @param extensions dict data structures, NULL to use no extensions
- * @param response_length response length
  * @param response response
  * @return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD on success
  */
@@ -766,14 +763,13 @@ getdns_return_t
 getdns_hostname_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     struct getdns_dict *address,
     struct getdns_dict *extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict **response);
+    struct getdns_dict **response);
 
 /**
  * retrieve a service assigned to a DNS name
  * @param context pointer to a previously created context to be used for this call
  * @param name the ASCII based domain name to lookup
  * @param extensions dict data structures, NULL to use no extensions
- * @param response_length response length
  * @param response response
  * @return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD on success
  */
@@ -781,7 +777,7 @@ getdns_return_t
 getdns_service_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     const char *name,
     struct getdns_dict *extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict **response);
+    struct getdns_dict **response);
 
 void getdns_free_sync_request_memory(struct getdns_dict *response);
 
diff --git a/src/sync.c b/src/sync.c
index 955a57ed..d812bb27 100644
--- a/src/sync.c
+++ b/src/sync.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ getdns_general_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     const char *name,
     uint16_t request_type,
     struct getdns_dict *extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict **response)
+    struct getdns_dict **response)
 {
 	getdns_return_t response_status;
 
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ getdns_return_t
 getdns_address_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     const char *name,
     struct getdns_dict * extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict ** response)
+    struct getdns_dict ** response)
 {
 	int cleanup_extensions = 0;
 	if (!extensions) {
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ getdns_address_sync(getdns_context_t context,
 
 	getdns_return_t result =
 	    getdns_general_sync(context, name, GETDNS_RRTYPE_A,
-	    extensions, response_length, response);
+	    extensions, response);
 	if (cleanup_extensions) {
 		getdns_dict_destroy(extensions);
 	}
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ getdns_return_t
 getdns_hostname_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     struct getdns_dict * address,
     struct getdns_dict * extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict ** response)
+    struct getdns_dict ** response)
 {
 	struct getdns_bindata *address_data;
 	struct getdns_bindata *address_type;
@@ -128,18 +128,18 @@ getdns_hostname_sync(getdns_context_t context,
 	if ((name = reverse_address((char *) address_data)) == 0)
 		return GETDNS_RETURN_GENERIC_ERROR;
 	return getdns_general_sync(context, name, req_type, extensions,
-	    response_length, response);
+	    response);
 }
 
 getdns_return_t
 getdns_service_sync(getdns_context_t context,
     const char *name,
     struct getdns_dict * extensions,
-    uint32_t * response_length, struct getdns_dict ** response)
+    struct getdns_dict ** response)
 {
 
 	return getdns_general_sync(context, name, GETDNS_RRTYPE_SRV,
-	    extensions, response_length, response);
+	    extensions, response);
 
 }