diff --git a/gdk/gdk.c b/gdk/gdk.c
index 00c5f4727f..f515d39fe2 100644
--- a/gdk/gdk.c
+++ b/gdk/gdk.c
@@ -150,7 +150,6 @@ static const GDebugKey gdk_debug_keys[] = {
   { "clipboard",       GDK_DEBUG_CLIPBOARD },
   { "nograbs",         GDK_DEBUG_NOGRABS },
   { "gl-disable",      GDK_DEBUG_GL_DISABLE },
-  { "gl-always",       GDK_DEBUG_GL_ALWAYS },
   { "gl-software",     GDK_DEBUG_GL_SOFTWARE },
   { "gl-texture-rect", GDK_DEBUG_GL_TEXTURE_RECT },
   { "gl-legacy",       GDK_DEBUG_GL_LEGACY },
diff --git a/gdk/gdkinternals.h b/gdk/gdkinternals.h
index e47281fb34..22ae55c194 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkinternals.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkinternals.h
@@ -71,15 +71,14 @@ typedef enum {
   /* flags below are influencing behavior */
   GDK_DEBUG_NOGRABS         = 1 << 11,
   GDK_DEBUG_GL_DISABLE      = 1 << 12,
-  GDK_DEBUG_GL_ALWAYS       = 1 << 13,
-  GDK_DEBUG_GL_SOFTWARE     = 1 << 14,
-  GDK_DEBUG_GL_TEXTURE_RECT = 1 << 15,
-  GDK_DEBUG_GL_LEGACY       = 1 << 16,
-  GDK_DEBUG_GL_GLES         = 1 << 17,
-  GDK_DEBUG_VULKAN_DISABLE  = 1 << 18,
-  GDK_DEBUG_VULKAN_VALIDATE = 1 << 19,
-  GDK_DEBUG_CAIRO_IMAGE     = 1 << 20,
-  GDK_DEBUG_CAIRO_RECORDING = 1 << 21
+  GDK_DEBUG_GL_SOFTWARE     = 1 << 13,
+  GDK_DEBUG_GL_TEXTURE_RECT = 1 << 14,
+  GDK_DEBUG_GL_LEGACY       = 1 << 15,
+  GDK_DEBUG_GL_GLES         = 1 << 16,
+  GDK_DEBUG_VULKAN_DISABLE  = 1 << 17,
+  GDK_DEBUG_VULKAN_VALIDATE = 1 << 18,
+  GDK_DEBUG_CAIRO_IMAGE     = 1 << 19,
+  GDK_DEBUG_CAIRO_RECORDING = 1 << 20
 } GdkDebugFlags;
 
 extern GList            *_gdk_default_filters;
diff --git a/gdk/gdkwindow.c b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
index 2b55976862..f29e114dba 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkwindow.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
@@ -998,17 +998,6 @@ gdk_window_new (GdkDisplay    *display,
 
   g_signal_connect (display, "seat-removed", G_CALLBACK (seat_removed_cb), window);
 
-  if (GDK_DISPLAY_DEBUG_CHECK (display, GL_ALWAYS))
-    {
-      GError *error = NULL;
-
-      if (gdk_window_get_paint_gl_context (window, &error) == NULL)
-        {
-          g_warning ("Unable to force GL enabled: %s", error->message);
-          g_error_free (error);
-        }
-    }
-
   return window;
 }
 
diff --git a/gtk/inspector/visual.c b/gtk/inspector/visual.c
index 57f57182cd..a4ce3fb9f5 100644
--- a/gtk/inspector/visual.c
+++ b/gtk/inspector/visual.c
@@ -760,15 +760,13 @@ init_gl (GtkInspectorVisual *vis)
 {
   GdkDebugFlags flags = gdk_display_get_debug_flags (gdk_display_get_default ());
 
-  if (flags & GDK_DEBUG_GL_ALWAYS)
-    gtk_combo_box_set_active_id (GTK_COMBO_BOX (vis->priv->gl_combo), "always");
-  else if (flags & GDK_DEBUG_GL_DISABLE)
+  if (flags & GDK_DEBUG_GL_DISABLE)
     gtk_combo_box_set_active_id (GTK_COMBO_BOX (vis->priv->gl_combo), "disable");
   else
     gtk_combo_box_set_active_id (GTK_COMBO_BOX (vis->priv->gl_combo), "maybe");
   gtk_widget_set_sensitive (vis->priv->gl_combo, FALSE);
   gtk_widget_set_tooltip_text (vis->priv->gl_combo,
-                               _("Not settable at runtime.\nUse GDK_DEBUG=gl-always or GDK_DEBUG=gl-disable instead"));
+                               _("Not settable at runtime.\nUse GDK_DEBUG=gl-disable instead"));
 
   gtk_switch_set_active (GTK_SWITCH (vis->priv->software_gl_switch), flags & GDK_DEBUG_GL_SOFTWARE);
   gtk_switch_set_active (GTK_SWITCH (vis->priv->texture_rectangle_switch), flags & GDK_DEBUG_GL_TEXTURE_RECT);
diff --git a/gtk/inspector/visual.ui b/gtk/inspector/visual.ui
index ffa09ae03d..52223e7829 100644
--- a/gtk/inspector/visual.ui
+++ b/gtk/inspector/visual.ui
@@ -672,7 +672,6 @@
                             <property name="hexpand">1</property>
                             <items>
                               <item translatable="yes" id="maybe">When Needed</item>
-                              <item translatable="yes" id="always">Always</item>
                               <item translatable="yes" id="disable">Disabled</item>
                             </items>
                           </object>