diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1e0b0e297..93ed67783 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -204,11 +204,6 @@ db: --image-build --containerized---db;
 ############################
 ##### DATABASE TARGETS #####
 
-# TODO: to be deprecated by start-%
-.PHONY: serve-database
-# HELP: serve database
-serve-database: --containerized-database;
-
 --containerized-database: FRADRIVE_SERVICE=database
 # port forwarding is disabled in --network=host mode; nevertheless it is stated here for documentation reasons
 --containerized-database: docker/database/initdb.sh docker/database/pg_hba.conf docker/database/postgresql.conf docker/database/schema.sql --image-build