diff --git a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
index cdc7568..34ed7d4 100644
--- a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -962,117 +962,6 @@ function settings() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Loads the persistent variable table.
- *
- * The variable table is composed of values that have been saved in the table
- * with variable_set() as well as those explicitly specified in the
- * configuration file.
- */
-function variable_initialize($conf = array()) {
-  // NOTE: caching the variables improves performance by 20% when serving
-  // cached pages.
-  if ($cached = cache('bootstrap')->get('variables')) {
-    $variables = $cached->data;
-  }
-  else {
-    // Cache miss. Avoid a stampede.
-    $name = 'variable_init';
-    if (!lock()->acquire($name, 1)) {
-      // Another request is building the variable cache.
-      // Wait, then re-run this function.
-      lock()->wait($name);
-      return variable_initialize($conf);
-    }
-    else {
-      // Proceed with variable rebuild.
-      $variables = array_map('unserialize', db_query('SELECT name, value FROM {variable}')->fetchAllKeyed());
-      cache('bootstrap')->set('variables', $variables);
-      lock()->release($name);
-    }
-  }
-
-  foreach ($conf as $name => $value) {
-    $variables[$name] = $value;
-  }
-
-  return $variables;
-}
-
-/**
- * Returns a persistent variable.
- *
- * Case-sensitivity of the variable_* functions depends on the database
- * collation used. To avoid problems, always use lower case for persistent
- * variable names.
- *
- * @param $name
- *   The name of the variable to return.
- * @param $default
- *   The default value to use if this variable has never been set.
- *
- * @return
- *   The value of the variable. Unserialization is taken care of as necessary.
- *
- * @see variable_del()
- * @see variable_set()
- */
-function variable_get($name, $default = NULL) {
-  global $conf;
-
-  return isset($conf[$name]) ? $conf[$name] : $default;
-}
-
-/**
- * Sets a persistent variable.
- *
- * Case-sensitivity of the variable_* functions depends on the database
- * collation used. To avoid problems, always use lower case for persistent
- * variable names.
- *
- * @param $name
- *   The name of the variable to set.
- * @param $value
- *   The value to set. This can be any PHP data type; these functions take care
- *   of serialization as necessary.
- *
- * @see variable_del()
- * @see variable_get()
- */
-function variable_set($name, $value) {
-  global $conf;
-
-  db_merge('variable')->key(array('name' => $name))->fields(array('value' => serialize($value)))->execute();
-
-  cache('bootstrap')->delete('variables');
-
-  $conf[$name] = $value;
-}
-
-/**
- * Unsets a persistent variable.
- *
- * Case-sensitivity of the variable_* functions depends on the database
- * collation used. To avoid problems, always use lower case for persistent
- * variable names.
- *
- * @param $name
- *   The name of the variable to undefine.
- *
- * @see variable_get()
- * @see variable_set()
- */
-function variable_del($name) {
-  global $conf;
-
-  db_delete('variable')
-    ->condition('name', $name)
-    ->execute();
-  cache('bootstrap')->delete('variables');
-
-  unset($conf[$name]);
-}
-
-/**
  * Retrieves the current page from the cache.
  *
  * Note: we do not serve cached pages to authenticated users, or to anonymous
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
index ca5d6de..4010a95 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -521,30 +521,6 @@ function system_install() {
  * Implements hook_schema().
  */
 function system_schema() {
-  // NOTE: {variable} needs to be created before all other tables, as
-  // some database drivers, e.g. Oracle and DB2, will require variable_get()
-  // and variable_set() for overcoming some database specific limitations.
-  $schema['variable'] = array(
-    'description' => 'Named variable/value pairs created by Drupal core or any other module or theme. All variables are cached in memory at the start of every Drupal request so developers should not be careless about what is stored here.',
-    'fields' => array(
-      'name' => array(
-        'description' => 'The name of the variable.',
-        'type' => 'varchar',
-        'length' => 128,
-        'not null' => TRUE,
-        'default' => '',
-      ),
-      'value' => array(
-        'description' => 'The value of the variable.',
-        'type' => 'blob',
-        'not null' => TRUE,
-        'size' => 'big',
-        'translatable' => TRUE,
-      ),
-    ),
-    'primary key' => array('name'),
-  );
-
   $schema['batch'] = array(
     'description' => 'Stores details about batches (processes that run in multiple HTTP requests).',
     'fields' => array(