diff --git a/config.h.meson b/config.h.meson
index d929f00c14..3e6c518478 100644
--- a/config.h.meson
+++ b/config.h.meson
@@ -62,12 +62,6 @@
 /* defines whether we have HarfBuzz */
 #mesondefine HAVE_HARFBUZZ
 
-/* Define to 1 if you have the `httpGetAuthString' function. */
-#mesondefine HAVE_HTTPGETAUTHSTRING
-
-/* Define if cups http_t authstring field is accessible */
-#mesondefine HAVE_HTTP_AUTHSTRING
-
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <inttypes.h> header file. */
 #mesondefine HAVE_INTTYPES_H
 
diff --git a/config.h.win32.in b/config.h.win32.in
index 4cda084f61..3a5219e5a2 100644
--- a/config.h.win32.in
+++ b/config.h.win32.in
@@ -74,12 +74,6 @@
 /* Define if gio-unix is available */
 /* #undef HAVE_GIO_UNIX */
 
-/* Define to 1 if you have the `httpGetAuthString' function. */
-/* #undef HAVE_HTTPGETAUTHSTRING */
-
-/* Define if cups http_t authstring field is accessible */
-/* #undef HAVE_HTTP_AUTHSTRING */
-
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <inttypes.h> header file. */
 #if !defined (_MSC_VER) || (_MSC_VER >= 1800)
 #define HAVE_INTTYPES_H 1
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1f3600bb0c..593bc088d5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1543,22 +1543,6 @@ else
     PRINT_BACKENDS="$PRINT_BACKENDS cups"
     AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_CUPS, true)
     have_cups=yes
-
-    gtk_save_cflags="$CFLAGS"
-    CFLAGS="$CUPS_CFLAGS"
-    AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <cups/http.h>]],
-                                       [[http_t http; char *s = http.authstring;]])],
-                      [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_HTTP_AUTHSTRING], [],
-                                 [Define if cups http_t authstring field is accessible])],
-                      [])
-    CFLAGS="$gtk_save_cflags"
-
-    AC_SUBST(HAVE_HTTP_AUTHSTRING)
-
-    gtk_save_libs="$LIBS"
-    LIBS="$CUPS_LIBS"
-    AC_CHECK_FUNCS(httpGetAuthString)
-    LIBS="$gtk_save_libs"
   fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/modules/printbackends/cups/gtkcupsutils.c b/modules/printbackends/cups/gtkcupsutils.c
index 8e7413a20a..723923b10a 100644
--- a/modules/printbackends/cups/gtkcupsutils.c
+++ b/modules/printbackends/cups/gtkcupsutils.c
@@ -709,13 +709,7 @@ _post_send (GtkCupsRequest *request)
   httpClearFields (request->http);
   httpSetField (request->http, HTTP_FIELD_CONTENT_LENGTH, length);
   httpSetField (request->http, HTTP_FIELD_CONTENT_TYPE, "application/ipp");
-#ifdef HAVE_HTTPGETAUTHSTRING
   httpSetField (request->http, HTTP_FIELD_AUTHORIZATION, httpGetAuthString (request->http));
-#else
-#ifdef HAVE_HTTP_AUTHSTRING
-  httpSetField (request->http, HTTP_FIELD_AUTHORIZATION, request->http->authstring);
-#endif
-#endif
 
   if (httpPost (request->http, request->resource))
     {
@@ -1198,13 +1192,7 @@ _get_send (GtkCupsRequest *request)
     }
 
   httpClearFields (request->http);
-#ifdef HAVE_HTTPGETAUTHSTRING
   httpSetField (request->http, HTTP_FIELD_AUTHORIZATION, httpGetAuthString (request->http));
-#else
-#ifdef HAVE_HTTP_AUTHSTRING
-  httpSetField (request->http, HTTP_FIELD_AUTHORIZATION, request->http->authstring);
-#endif
-#endif
 
   if (httpGet (request->http, request->resource))
     {
diff --git a/modules/printbackends/meson.build b/modules/printbackends/meson.build
index a897f022ca..930b9012a8 100644
--- a/modules/printbackends/meson.build
+++ b/modules/printbackends/meson.build
@@ -74,17 +74,10 @@ if enabled_print_backends.contains('cups')
     cups_major_version = cc.compute_int('CUPS_VERSION_MAJOR', prefix : '#include <cups/cups.h>')
     cups_minor_version = cc.compute_int('CUPS_VERSION_MINOR', prefix : '#include <cups/cups.h>')
     message('Found CUPS version: @0@.@1@'.format(cups_major_version, cups_minor_version))
-    if cups_major_version >= 2
-      if cc.compiles('#include <cups/http.h> \n http_t http; char *s = http.authstring;')
-        cdata.set('HAVE_HTTP_AUTHSTRING', 1,
-          description :'Define if cups http_t authstring field is accessible')
-      endif
-      libcups = cc.find_library('cups', required : true)
-      if libcups.found() and cc.has_function('httpGetAuthString', dependencies : libcups)
-        cdata.set('HAVE_HTTPGETAUTHSTRING', 1)
-      endif
-    else
+    if cups_major_version < 2
       cups_error = 'Need CUPS version >= 2.0'
+    else
+      libcups = cc.find_library('cups', required : true)
     endif
   else
     cups_error = 'Cannot find CUPS headers in default prefix.'