diff --git a/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php b/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php
index 348c904b72..fc9f19f412 100644
--- a/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php
+++ b/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php
@@ -234,20 +234,6 @@ class CentralColumns
         return $has_list;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * return error message to be displayed if central columns
-     * configuration storage is not completely configured
-     */
-    private function configErrorMessage(): Message
-    {
-        return Message::error(
-            __(
-                'The configuration storage is not ready for the central list'
-                . ' of columns feature.'
-            )
-        );
-    }
-
     /**
      * build the insert query for central columns list given PMA storage
      * db, central_columns table, column name and corresponding definition to be added
@@ -315,7 +301,9 @@ class CentralColumns
     ) {
         $cfgCentralColumns = $this->getParams();
         if (! is_array($cfgCentralColumns)) {
-            return $this->configErrorMessage();
+            return Message::error(
+                __('The configuration storage is not ready for the central list of columns feature.')
+            );
         }
         $db = $_POST['db'];
         $pmadb = $cfgCentralColumns['db'];
@@ -437,7 +425,9 @@ class CentralColumns
     ) {
         $cfgCentralColumns = $this->getParams();
         if (! is_array($cfgCentralColumns)) {
-            return $this->configErrorMessage();
+            return Message::error(
+                __('The configuration storage is not ready for the central list of columns feature.')
+            );
         }
         $pmadb = $cfgCentralColumns['db'];
         $central_list_table = $cfgCentralColumns['table'];
@@ -658,7 +648,9 @@ class CentralColumns
     ) {
         $cfgCentralColumns = $this->getParams();
         if (! is_array($cfgCentralColumns)) {
-            return $this->configErrorMessage();
+            return Message::error(
+                __('The configuration storage is not ready for the central list of columns feature.')
+            );
         }
         $centralTable = $cfgCentralColumns['table'];
         $this->dbi->selectDb($cfgCentralColumns['db'], DatabaseInterface::CONNECT_CONTROL);
diff --git a/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php b/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php
index ec02bd3954..550258ad49 100644
--- a/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php
+++ b/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php
@@ -678,17 +678,6 @@ class CentralColumnsTest extends AbstractTestCase
         $this->assertStringContainsString(__('The central list of columns for the current database is empty'), $result);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Test for configErrorMessage
-     */
-    public function testConfigErrorMessage(): void
-    {
-        $this->assertInstanceOf(
-            Message::class,
-            $this->callFunction($this->centralColumns, CentralColumns::class, 'configErrorMessage', [])
-        );
-    }
-
     /**
      * Test for findExistingColNames
      */