diff --git a/.waf-tools/compiler-features.py b/.waf-tools/compiler-features.py
index 39516e6..502596c 100644
--- a/.waf-tools/compiler-features.py
+++ b/.waf-tools/compiler-features.py
@@ -2,47 +2,6 @@
 
 from waflib.Configure import conf
 
-FRIEND_TYPENAME = '''
-class A;
-
-template<typename T>
-class B
-{
-  friend T;
-};
-
-B<A> g_b;
-'''
-
-FRIEND_WRAPPER = '''
-class A;
-
-template<typename T>
-struct TypeWrapper
-{
-  typedef T Type;
-};
-
-template<typename T>
-class B
-{
-  friend class TypeWrapper<T>::Type;
-};
-
-B<A> g_b;
-'''
-
-@conf
-def check_friend_typename(self):
-    if self.check_cxx(msg='Checking for friend typename-specifier',
-                      fragment=FRIEND_TYPENAME,
-                      features='cxx', mandatory=False):
-        self.define('HAVE_CXX_FRIEND_TYPENAME', 1)
-    elif self.check_cxx(msg='Checking for friend typename using wrapper',
-                      fragment=FRIEND_WRAPPER,
-                      features='cxx', mandatory=True):
-        self.define('HAVE_CXX_FRIEND_TYPENAME_WRAPPER', 1)
-
 STD_TO_STRING = '''
 #include <string>
 int
@@ -90,6 +49,5 @@
         self.define('HAVE_VECTOR_INSERT_ERASE_CONST_ITERATOR', 1)
 
 def configure(conf):
-    conf.check_friend_typename()
     conf.check_std_to_string()
     conf.check_vector_const_iterators()
diff --git a/src/util/signal-signal.hpp b/src/util/signal-signal.hpp
index ca6dcf1..7756eae 100644
--- a/src/util/signal-signal.hpp
+++ b/src/util/signal-signal.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /**
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2015 Regents of the University of California.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2016 Regents of the University of California.
  *
  * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
  *
@@ -95,18 +95,7 @@
   operator()(const TArgs&...args, const DummyExtraArg&);
 
   // make Owner a friend of Signal<Owner, ...> so that API for owner can be called
-#if NDN_CXX_HAVE_CXX_FRIEND_TYPENAME
   friend Owner;
-#elif NDN_CXX_HAVE_CXX_FRIEND_TYPENAME_WRAPPER
-  template<typename T>
-  struct TypeWrapper
-  {
-    typedef T Type;
-  }; // http://stackoverflow.com/a/5608542/3729203
-  friend class TypeWrapper<Owner>::Type;
-#else
-#  error "cannot declare Owner as friend"
-#endif
 
 private: // internal implementation
   typedef Signal<Owner, TArgs...> Self;