diff --git a/src/goto-instrument/cover.cpp b/src/goto-instrument/cover.cpp
index 89266ab74a9..5dac8217361 100644
--- a/src/goto-instrument/cover.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-instrument/cover.cpp
@@ -184,10 +184,9 @@ cover_configt get_cover_config(
   std::unique_ptr<goal_filterst> &goal_filters = cover_config.goal_filters;
   cover_instrumenterst &instrumenters = cover_config.cover_instrumenters;
 
-  function_filters.add(
-    util_make_unique<internal_functions_filtert>(message_handler));
+  function_filters.add(util_make_unique<internal_functions_filtert>());
 
-  goal_filters->add(util_make_unique<internal_goals_filtert>(message_handler));
+  goal_filters->add(util_make_unique<internal_goals_filtert>());
 
   optionst::value_listt criteria_strings = options.get_list_option("cover");
 
@@ -215,13 +214,11 @@ cover_configt get_cover_config(
   if(!cover_include_pattern.empty())
   {
     function_filters.add(
-      util_make_unique<include_pattern_filtert>(
-        message_handler, cover_include_pattern));
+      util_make_unique<include_pattern_filtert>(cover_include_pattern));
   }
 
   if(options.get_bool_option("no-trivial-tests"))
-    function_filters.add(
-      util_make_unique<trivial_functions_filtert>(message_handler));
+    function_filters.add(util_make_unique<trivial_functions_filtert>());
 
   cover_config.traces_must_terminate =
     options.get_bool_option("cover-traces-must-terminate");
@@ -251,14 +248,14 @@ cover_configt get_cover_config(
   if(cover_only == "function")
   {
     const symbolt &main_symbol = symbol_table.lookup_ref(main_function_id);
-    cover_config.function_filters.add(util_make_unique<single_function_filtert>(
-      message_handler, main_symbol.name));
+    cover_config.function_filters.add(
+      util_make_unique<single_function_filtert>(main_symbol.name));
   }
   else if(cover_only == "file")
   {
     const symbolt &main_symbol = symbol_table.lookup_ref(main_function_id);
-    cover_config.function_filters.add(util_make_unique<file_filtert>(
-      message_handler, main_symbol.location.get_file()));
+    cover_config.function_filters.add(
+      util_make_unique<file_filtert>(main_symbol.location.get_file()));
   }
   else if(!cover_only.empty())
   {
diff --git a/src/goto-instrument/cover_filter.h b/src/goto-instrument/cover_filter.h
index 491354a96b1..228904ddd21 100644
--- a/src/goto-instrument/cover_filter.h
+++ b/src/goto-instrument/cover_filter.h
@@ -16,20 +16,14 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening
 #include <memory>
 
 #include <util/invariant.h>
-#include <util/message.h>
 #include <util/symbol.h>
 
 #include <goto-programs/goto_model.h>
 
 /// Base class for filtering functions
-class function_filter_baset : public messaget
+class function_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit function_filter_baset(message_handlert &message_handler)
-    : messaget(message_handler)
-  {
-  }
-
   virtual ~function_filter_baset()
   {
   }
@@ -48,14 +42,9 @@ class function_filter_baset : public messaget
 };
 
 /// Base class for filtering goals
-class goal_filter_baset : public messaget
+class goal_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit goal_filter_baset(message_handlert &message_handler)
-    : messaget(message_handler)
-  {
-  }
-
   virtual ~goal_filter_baset()
   {
   }
@@ -146,11 +135,6 @@ class goal_filterst
 class internal_functions_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit internal_functions_filtert(message_handlert &message_handler)
-    : function_filter_baset(message_handler)
-  {
-  }
-
   bool operator()(
     const symbolt &identifier,
     const goto_functionst::goto_functiont &goto_function) const override;
@@ -159,10 +143,7 @@ class internal_functions_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 class file_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit file_filtert(
-    message_handlert &message_handler,
-    const irep_idt &file_id)
-    : function_filter_baset(message_handler), file_id(file_id)
+  explicit file_filtert(const irep_idt &file_id) : file_id(file_id)
   {
   }
 
@@ -177,10 +158,8 @@ class file_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 class single_function_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit single_function_filtert(
-    message_handlert &message_handler,
-    const irep_idt &function_id)
-    : function_filter_baset(message_handler), function_id(function_id)
+  explicit single_function_filtert(const irep_idt &function_id)
+    : function_id(function_id)
   {
   }
 
@@ -196,11 +175,8 @@ class single_function_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 class include_pattern_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit include_pattern_filtert(
-    message_handlert &message_handler,
-    const std::string &cover_include_pattern)
-    : function_filter_baset(message_handler),
-      regex_matcher(cover_include_pattern)
+  explicit include_pattern_filtert(const std::string &cover_include_pattern)
+    : regex_matcher(cover_include_pattern)
   {
   }
 
@@ -216,11 +192,6 @@ class include_pattern_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 class trivial_functions_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit trivial_functions_filtert(message_handlert &message_handler)
-    : function_filter_baset(message_handler)
-  {
-  }
-
   bool operator()(
     const symbolt &identifier,
     const goto_functionst::goto_functiont &goto_function) const override;
@@ -230,11 +201,6 @@ class trivial_functions_filtert : public function_filter_baset
 class internal_goals_filtert : public goal_filter_baset
 {
 public:
-  explicit internal_goals_filtert(message_handlert &message_handler)
-    : goal_filter_baset(message_handler)
-  {
-  }
-
   bool operator()(const source_locationt &) const override;
 };