diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
index 4ed8a3107..4f4c7e481 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@
 -type comma_separated_list() :: list().
 -type comma_separated_binary() :: [binary()].
 -type comma_separated_atoms() :: [atom()].
--type bar_separated_list() :: list().
 -type ip_port() :: tuple() | integer().
 -type cipher() :: map().
 -type port_number() :: 1..65535.
@@ -75,7 +74,6 @@
 -typerefl_from_string({percent/0, emqx_schema, to_percent}).
 -typerefl_from_string({comma_separated_list/0, emqx_schema, to_comma_separated_list}).
 -typerefl_from_string({comma_separated_binary/0, emqx_schema, to_comma_separated_binary}).
--typerefl_from_string({bar_separated_list/0, emqx_schema, to_bar_separated_list}).
 -typerefl_from_string({ip_port/0, emqx_schema, to_ip_port}).
 -typerefl_from_string({cipher/0, emqx_schema, to_erl_cipher_suite}).
 -typerefl_from_string({comma_separated_atoms/0, emqx_schema, to_comma_separated_atoms}).
@@ -118,7 +116,6 @@
     to_percent/1,
     to_comma_separated_list/1,
     to_comma_separated_binary/1,
-    to_bar_separated_list/1,
     to_ip_port/1,
     to_erl_cipher_suite/1,
     to_comma_separated_atoms/1,
@@ -157,7 +154,6 @@
     file/0,
     comma_separated_list/0,
     comma_separated_binary/0,
-    bar_separated_list/0,
     ip_port/0,
     cipher/0,
     comma_separated_atoms/0,
@@ -2564,9 +2560,6 @@ to_json_binary(Str) ->
             Error
     end.
 
-to_bar_separated_list(Str) ->
-    {ok, string:tokens(Str, "| ")}.
-
 %% @doc support the following format:
 %%  - 127.0.0.1:1883
 %%  - ::1:1883