diff --git a/components/esm4/loadcell.cpp b/components/esm4/loadcell.cpp
index 0b90a7cdbf..97b3603204 100644
--- a/components/esm4/loadcell.cpp
+++ b/components/esm4/loadcell.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,14 @@ ESM4::Cell::~Cell()
 {
 }
 
-void ESM4::Cell::init(ESM4::Reader& reader)
+// TODO: Try loading only EDID and XCLC (along with mFormId, mFlags and mParent)
+//
+// But, for external cells we may be scanning the whole record since we don't know if there is
+// going to be an EDID subrecord. And the vast majority of cells are these kinds.
+//
+// So perhaps some testing needs to be done to see if scanning and skipping takes
+// longer/shorter/same as loading the subrecords.
+void ESM4::Cell::load(ESM4::Reader& reader)
 {
     mFormId = reader.hdr().record.id;
     reader.adjustFormId(mFormId);
@@ -64,33 +71,10 @@ void ESM4::Cell::init(ESM4::Reader& reader)
         currCellGrid.grid.y = 0;
         reader.setCurrCellGrid(currCellGrid);  // side effect: sets mCellGridValid  true
     }
-}
-
-// TODO: Try loading only EDID and XCLC (along with mFormId, mFlags and mParent)
-//
-// But, for external cells we may be scanning the whole record since we don't know if there is
-// going to be an EDID subrecord. And the vast majority of cells are these kinds.
-//
-// So perhaps some testing needs to be done to see if scanning and skipping takes
-// longer/shorter/same as loading the subrecords.
-bool ESM4::Cell::preload(ESM4::Reader& reader)
-{
-    if (!mPreloaded)
-        load(reader);
-
-    mPreloaded = true;
-    return true;
-}
-
-void ESM4::Cell::load(ESM4::Reader& reader)
-{
-    if (mPreloaded)
-        return;
 
     // WARN: we need to call setCurrCell (and maybe setCurrCellGrid?) again before loading
     // cell child groups if we are loading them after restoring the context
     // (may be easier to update the context before saving?)
-    init(reader);
     reader.setCurrCell(mFormId); // save for LAND (and other children) to access later
     std::uint32_t esmVer = reader.esmVersion();
     bool isFONV = esmVer == ESM::VER_132 || esmVer == ESM::VER_133 || esmVer == ESM::VER_134;
diff --git a/components/esm4/loadcell.hpp b/components/esm4/loadcell.hpp
index c2274fcbe9..3dff4fdf0a 100644
--- a/components/esm4/loadcell.hpp
+++ b/components/esm4/loadcell.hpp
@@ -93,11 +93,6 @@ namespace ESM4
 
         virtual ~Cell();
 
-        void init(ESM4::Reader& reader); // common setup for both preload() and load()
-
-        bool mPreloaded;
-        bool preload(ESM4::Reader& reader);
-
         virtual void load(ESM4::Reader& reader);
         //virtual void save(ESM4::Writer& writer) const;