diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index eb1e13ec4..ed0137bbf 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ ver 0.16 (20??/??/??)
 * removed the deprecated "error_file" option
 * save state when stopped
 * renamed option "--stdout" to "--stderr"
+* removed options --create-db and --no-create-db
 * obey $(sysconfdir) for default mpd.conf location
 
 
diff --git a/doc/mpd.1 b/doc/mpd.1
index 22c0e7510..b70843673 100644
--- a/doc/mpd.1
+++ b/doc/mpd.1
@@ -25,12 +25,6 @@ Output a brief help message.
 Kill the currently running mpd session.  The pid_file parameter must be
 specified in the config file for this to work.
 .TP
-.BI --create-db
-Force (re)creation of database.
-.TP
-.BI --no-create-db
-Do not create database, even if it doesn't exist.
-.TP
 .BI --no-daemon
 Don't detach from console.
 .TP
diff --git a/doc/mpdconf.example b/doc/mpdconf.example
index 2d2732869..e4a2e2a88 100644
--- a/doc/mpdconf.example
+++ b/doc/mpdconf.example
@@ -353,8 +353,7 @@ input {
 # Character Encoding ##########################################################
 #
 # If file or directory names do not display correctly for your locale then you 
-# may need to modify this setting. After modification of this setting mpd 
-# --create-db must be run to change the database.
+# may need to modify this setting.
 #
 #filesystem_charset		"UTF-8"
 #
diff --git a/src/cmdline.c b/src/cmdline.c
index 606f26674..d0e8e75da 100644
--- a/src/cmdline.c
+++ b/src/cmdline.c
@@ -82,17 +82,13 @@ void parse_cmdline(int argc, char **argv, struct options *options)
 	GOptionContext *context;
 	bool ret;
 	static gboolean option_version,
-		option_create_db, option_no_create_db, option_no_daemon,
+		option_no_daemon,
 		option_no_config;
 	const GOptionEntry entries[] = {
-		{ "create-db", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &option_create_db,
-		  "force (re)creation of database", NULL },
 		{ "kill", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &options->kill,
 		  "kill the currently running mpd session", NULL },
 		{ "no-config", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &option_no_config,
 		  "don't read from config", NULL },
-		{ "no-create-db", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &option_no_create_db,
-		  "don't create database, even if it doesn't exist", NULL },
 		{ "no-daemon", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &option_no_daemon,
 		  "don't detach from console", NULL },
 		{ "stdout", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &options->log_stderr,
@@ -110,7 +106,6 @@ void parse_cmdline(int argc, char **argv, struct options *options)
 	options->daemon = true;
 	options->log_stderr = false;
 	options->verbose = false;
-	options->create_db = 0;
 
 	context = g_option_context_new("[path/to/mpd.conf]");
 	g_option_context_add_main_entries(context, entries, NULL);
@@ -134,14 +129,6 @@ void parse_cmdline(int argc, char **argv, struct options *options)
 	   parser can use it already */
 	log_early_init(options->verbose);
 
-	if (option_create_db && option_no_create_db)
-		g_error("Cannot use both --create-db and --no-create-db\n");
-
-	if (option_no_create_db)
-		options->create_db = -1;
-	else if (option_create_db)
-		options->create_db = 1;
-
 	options->daemon = !option_no_daemon;
 
 	if (option_no_config) {
diff --git a/src/cmdline.h b/src/cmdline.h
index 05bf73795..eb626dbc2 100644
--- a/src/cmdline.h
+++ b/src/cmdline.h
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ struct options {
 	gboolean daemon;
 	gboolean log_stderr;
 	gboolean verbose;
-	int create_db;
 };
 
 void parse_cmdline(int argc, char **argv, struct options *options);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index f7b3d2979..a0385733c 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ glue_mapper_init(void)
  * process has been daemonized.
  */
 static bool
-glue_db_init_and_load(const struct options *options)
+glue_db_init_and_load(void)
 {
 	const char *path = config_get_path(CONF_DB_FILE);
 	bool ret;
@@ -142,19 +142,11 @@ glue_db_init_and_load(const struct options *options)
 
 	db_init(path);
 
-	if (options->create_db > 0)
-		/* don't attempt to load the old database */
-		return false;
-
 	ret = db_load(&error);
 	if (!ret) {
 		g_warning("Failed to load database: %s", error->message);
 		g_error_free(error);
 
-		if (options->create_db < 0)
-			g_error("can't open db file and using "
-				"\"--no-create-db\" command line option");
-
 		if (!db_check())
 			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 
@@ -331,7 +323,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	decoder_plugin_init_all();
 	update_global_init();
 
-	create_db = !glue_db_init_and_load(&options);
+	create_db = !glue_db_init_and_load();
 
 	glue_sticker_init();
 
@@ -356,8 +348,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	player_create();
 
 	if (create_db) {
-		/* the database failed to load, or MPD was started
-		   with --create-db: recreate a new database */
+		/* the database failed to load: recreate the
+		   database */
 		unsigned job = directory_update_init(NULL);
 		if (job == 0)
 			g_error("directory update failed");