diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c b/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c
index a797c85ce189b9ae247f5a9dab702f2861225aee..a30473214f18cdccfe14cb32f12e96a380b2c6db 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c
@@ -2060,17 +2060,6 @@ static void rd_pick_partition(VP9_COMP *cpi, const TileInfo *const tile,
 
   save_context(cpi, mi_row, mi_col, a, l, sa, sl, bsize);
 
-  if (cpi->sf.disable_split_var_thresh && partition_none_allowed) {
-    unsigned int source_variancey;
-    vp9_setup_src_planes(x, cpi->Source, mi_row, mi_col);
-    source_variancey = get_sby_perpixel_variance(cpi, &x->plane[0].src, bsize);
-    if (source_variancey < cpi->sf.disable_split_var_thresh) {
-      do_split = 0;
-      if (source_variancey < cpi->sf.disable_split_var_thresh / 2)
-        do_rect = 0;
-    }
-  }
-
 #if CONFIG_FP_MB_STATS
   if (cpi->use_fp_mb_stats) {
     set_offsets(cpi, tile, mi_row, mi_col, bsize);
diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.c b/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.c
index 99f336f2aa8b6b9bdda4f408cb4ff5ffe432f337..2478c663744e0dc43b93405cd5b9350b2d16fac1 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.c
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.c
@@ -362,7 +362,6 @@ void vp9_set_speed_features(VP9_COMP *cpi) {
   sf->mode_search_skip_flags = 0;
   sf->force_frame_boost = 0;
   sf->max_delta_qindex = 0;
-  sf->disable_split_var_thresh = 0;
   sf->disable_filter_search_var_thresh = 0;
   for (i = 0; i < TX_SIZES; i++) {
     sf->intra_y_mode_mask[i] = INTRA_ALL;
diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.h b/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.h
index 243139d7bf24f578b22e93c3bbbdb7e35f576a56..7334874dd30ea22bf77c3a7392a777110478c3e7 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.h
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_speed_features.h
@@ -309,9 +309,6 @@ typedef struct SPEED_FEATURES {
   // defined in the MODE_SEARCH_SKIP_HEURISTICS enum
   unsigned int mode_search_skip_flags;
 
-  // A source variance threshold below which the split mode is disabled
-  unsigned int disable_split_var_thresh;
-
   // A source variance threshold below which filter search is disabled
   // Choose a very large value (UINT_MAX) to use 8-tap always
   unsigned int disable_filter_search_var_thresh;