diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Config.c b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Config.c
index e3b2831c2..88e2e8d3b 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Config.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Config.c
@@ -742,8 +742,6 @@ static OptionInfoRec FlagOptions[] = {
 	{0}, FALSE },
   { FLAG_AIGLX,			"AIGLX",			OPTV_BOOLEAN,
 	{0}, FALSE },
-  { FLAG_ALLOW_EMPTY_INPUT,     "AllowEmptyInput",              OPTV_BOOLEAN,
-        {0}, FALSE },
   { FLAG_IGNORE_ABI,		"IgnoreABI",			OPTV_BOOLEAN,
 	{0}, FALSE },
   { FLAG_USE_DEFAULT_FONT_PATH,  "UseDefaultFontPath",		OPTV_BOOLEAN,
@@ -956,7 +954,6 @@ configServerFlags(XF86ConfFlagsPtr flagsconf, XF86OptionPtr layoutopts)
 
     /* AllowEmptyInput is automatically true if we're hotplugging */
     xf86Info.allowEmptyInput = (xf86Info.autoAddDevices && xf86Info.autoEnableDevices);
-    xf86GetOptValBool(FlagOptions, FLAG_ALLOW_EMPTY_INPUT, &xf86Info.allowEmptyInput);
 
     /* AEI on? Then we're not using kbd, so use the evdev rules set. */
 #if defined(linux)
@@ -1437,8 +1434,10 @@ checkCoreInputDevices(serverLayoutPtr servlayoutp, Bool implicitLayout)
 	                "reconfigure %s or disable AutoAddDevices.\n",
 			config_backend, config_backend);
 #else
-	xf86Msg(X_INFO, "Hotplugging is disabled and no input devices were configured.\n"
-			"\tTry disabling AllowEmptyInput.\n");
+	xf86Msg(X_WARNING, "Hotplugging requested but the server was "
+			   "compiled without a config backend. "
+			   "No input devices were configured, the server "
+			   "will start without any input devices.\n");
 #endif
     }
 
@@ -2353,7 +2352,7 @@ checkInput(serverLayoutPtr layout, Bool implicit_layout) {
                 IDevPtr *current;
                 if (!warned)
                 {
-                    xf86Msg(X_WARNING, "AllowEmptyInput is on, devices using "
+                    xf86Msg(X_WARNING, "Hotplugging is on, devices using "
                             "drivers 'kbd', 'mouse' or 'vmmouse' will be disabled.\n");
                     warned = TRUE;
                 }
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/doc/man/xorg.conf.man.pre b/hw/xfree86/doc/man/xorg.conf.man.pre
index cbfea7d98..a7259fb8b 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/doc/man/xorg.conf.man.pre
+++ b/hw/xfree86/doc/man/xorg.conf.man.pre
@@ -558,9 +558,6 @@ Default: off.
 This tells the mousedrv(__drivermansuffix__) and vmmouse(__drivermansuffix__)
 drivers to not report failure if the mouse device can't be opened/initialised.
 It has no effect on the evdev(__drivermansuffix__) or other drivers.
-The previous functionality of allowing the server to start up even if
-the mouse device can't be opened/initialised is now handled by the
-AllowEmptyInput option.
 Default: false.
 .TP 7
 .BI "Option \*qVTSysReq\*q  \*q" boolean \*q
@@ -677,12 +674,6 @@ default.
 Allow modules built for a different, potentially incompatible version of
 the X server to load. Disabled by default.
 .TP 7
-.BI "Option \*qAllowEmptyInput\*q \*q" boolean \*q
-If enabled, don't add the standard keyboard and mouse drivers, if there are no
-input devices in the config file.  Enabled by default if AutoAddDevices and
-AutoEnableDevices is enabled, otherwise disabled.
-If AllowEmptyInput is on, devices using the kbd, mouse or vmmouse driver are ignored.
-.TP 7
 .BI "Option \*qAutoAddDevices\*q \*q" boolean \*q
 If this option is disabled, then no devices will be added from HAL events.
 Enabled by default.