diff --git a/cli/src/cli.rs b/cli/src/cli.rs
index 9768f57e1ea7..6ac718fc8b08 100644
--- a/cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -80,23 +80,6 @@ pub struct RunCmd {
 	#[structopt(long = "force-rococo")]
 	pub force_rococo: bool,
 
-	/// Disable the authority discovery module on validator or sentry nodes.
-	///
-	/// Enabled by default on validator and sentry nodes. Always disabled on non
-	/// validator or sentry nodes.
-	///
-	/// When enabled:
-	///
-	/// (1) As a validator node: Make oneself discoverable by publishing either
-	///     ones own network addresses, or the ones of ones sentry nodes
-	///     (configured via the `sentry-nodes` flag).
-	///
-	/// (2) As a validator or sentry node: Discover addresses of validators or
-	///     addresses of their sentry nodes and maintain a permanent connection
-	///     to a subset.
-	#[structopt(long = "disable-authority-discovery")]
-	pub authority_discovery_disabled: bool,
-
 	/// Setup a GRANDPA scheduled voting pause.
 	///
 	/// This parameter takes two values, namely a block number and a delay (in
diff --git a/cli/src/command.rs b/cli/src/command.rs
index eba3bce8089c..9eb9c4e055e0 100644
--- a/cli/src/command.rs
+++ b/cli/src/command.rs
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ pub fn run() -> Result<()> {
 
 			set_default_ss58_version(chain_spec);
 
-			let authority_discovery_disabled = cli.run.authority_discovery_disabled;
 			let grandpa_pause = if cli.run.grandpa_pause.is_empty() {
 				None
 			} else {
@@ -147,7 +146,6 @@ pub fn run() -> Result<()> {
 					Role::Light => service::build_light(config).map(|(task_manager, _)| task_manager),
 					_ => service::build_full(
 						config,
-						authority_discovery_disabled,
 						service::IsCollator::No,
 						grandpa_pause,
 					).map(|full| full.task_manager),
diff --git a/node/service/src/lib.rs b/node/service/src/lib.rs
index 198b399e938b..16680622cd34 100644
--- a/node/service/src/lib.rs
+++ b/node/service/src/lib.rs
@@ -441,7 +441,6 @@ impl IsCollator {
 #[cfg(feature = "full-node")]
 pub fn new_full<RuntimeApi, Executor>(
 	mut config: Configuration,
-	authority_discovery_disabled: bool,
 	is_collator: IsCollator,
 	grandpa_pause: Option<(u32, u32)>,
 ) -> Result<NewFull<Arc<FullClient<RuntimeApi, Executor>>>, Error>
@@ -535,10 +534,6 @@ pub fn new_full<RuntimeApi, Executor>(
 		use sc_network::Event;
 		use futures::StreamExt;
 
-		if authority_discovery_disabled {
-			Err("Authority discovery is mandatory for a validator.")?;
-		}
-
 		let authority_discovery_role = if role.is_authority() {
 			authority_discovery::Role::PublishAndDiscover(
 				keystore_container.keystore(),
@@ -867,35 +862,30 @@ pub fn build_light(config: Configuration) -> Result<(TaskManager, RpcHandlers),
 #[cfg(feature = "full-node")]
 pub fn build_full(
 	config: Configuration,
-	authority_discovery_disabled: bool,
 	is_collator: IsCollator,
 	grandpa_pause: Option<(u32, u32)>,
 ) -> Result<NewFull<Client>, Error> {
 	if config.chain_spec.is_rococo() {
 		new_full::<rococo_runtime::RuntimeApi, RococoExecutor>(
 			config,
-			authority_discovery_disabled,
 			is_collator,
 			grandpa_pause,
 		).map(|full| full.with_client(Client::Rococo))
 	} else if config.chain_spec.is_kusama() {
 		new_full::<kusama_runtime::RuntimeApi, KusamaExecutor>(
 			config,
-			authority_discovery_disabled,
 			is_collator,
 			grandpa_pause,
 		).map(|full| full.with_client(Client::Kusama))
 	} else if config.chain_spec.is_westend() {
 		new_full::<westend_runtime::RuntimeApi, WestendExecutor>(
 			config,
-			authority_discovery_disabled,
 			is_collator,
 			grandpa_pause,
 		).map(|full| full.with_client(Client::Westend))
 	} else {
 		new_full::<polkadot_runtime::RuntimeApi, PolkadotExecutor>(
 			config,
-			authority_discovery_disabled,
 			is_collator,
 			grandpa_pause,
 		).map(|full| full.with_client(Client::Polkadot))
diff --git a/node/test/service/src/lib.rs b/node/test/service/src/lib.rs
index 4a7785cd9960..74ae6ee51176 100644
--- a/node/test/service/src/lib.rs
+++ b/node/test/service/src/lib.rs
@@ -68,14 +68,12 @@ pub use polkadot_service::FullBackend;
 #[sc_cli::prefix_logs_with(config.network.node_name.as_str())]
 pub fn polkadot_test_new_full(
 	config: Configuration,
-	authority_discovery_disabled: bool,
 ) -> Result<
 	NewFull<Arc<Client>>,
 	ServiceError,
 > {
 	new_full::<polkadot_test_runtime::RuntimeApi, PolkadotTestExecutor>(
 		config,
-		authority_discovery_disabled,
 		IsCollator::No,
 		None,
 	).map_err(Into::into)
@@ -205,9 +203,8 @@ pub fn run_test_node(
 ) -> PolkadotTestNode {
 	let config = node_config(storage_update_func, task_executor, key, boot_nodes);
 	let multiaddr = config.network.listen_addresses[0].clone();
-	let authority_discovery_disabled = false;
 	let NewFull {task_manager, client, network, rpc_handlers, overseer_handler, ..} =
-		polkadot_test_new_full(config, authority_discovery_disabled)
+		polkadot_test_new_full(config)
 			.expect("could not create Polkadot test service");
 
 	let overseer_handler = overseer_handler.expect("test node must have an overseer handler");