diff --git a/services/horizon/internal/flags.go b/services/horizon/internal/flags.go
index be08193c2c..fdcc17dc6e 100644
--- a/services/horizon/internal/flags.go
+++ b/services/horizon/internal/flags.go
@@ -126,17 +126,9 @@ func Flags() (*Config, support.ConfigOptions) {
 			OptType:     types.String,
 			FlagDefault: "",
 			Required:    false,
-			Usage:       "path to stellar core binary (--remote-captive-core-url has higher precedence). If captive core is enabled, look for the stellar-core binary in $PATH by default.",
+			Usage:       "path to stellar core binary, look for the stellar-core binary in $PATH by default.",
 			ConfigKey:   &config.CaptiveCoreBinaryPath,
 		},
-		&support.ConfigOption{
-			Name:        "remote-captive-core-url",
-			OptType:     types.String,
-			FlagDefault: "",
-			Required:    false,
-			Usage:       "url to access the remote captive core server",
-			ConfigKey:   &config.RemoteCaptiveCoreURL,
-		},
 		&support.ConfigOption{
 			Name:        captiveCoreConfigAppendPathName,
 			OptType:     types.String,
@@ -649,22 +641,14 @@ func ApplyFlags(config *Config, flags support.ConfigOptions, options ApplyOption
 					binaryPath = result
 					viper.Set(StellarCoreBinaryPathName, binaryPath)
 					config.CaptiveCoreBinaryPath = binaryPath
+				} else {
+					return fmt.Errorf("Invalid config: captive core requires --%s. %s",
+						StellarCoreBinaryPathName, captiveCoreMigrationHint)
 				}
 			} else {
 				config.CaptiveCoreBinaryPath = binaryPath
 			}
-		}
 
-		// Create config for local captive core
-		if config.EnableCaptiveCoreIngestion && config.RemoteCaptiveCoreURL == "" {
-
-			// NOTE: If both of these are set (regardless of user- or PATH-supplied
-			//       defaults for the binary path), the Remote Captive Core URL
-			//       takes precedence.
-			if config.CaptiveCoreBinaryPath == "" {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Invalid config: captive core requires that either --%s or --remote-captive-core-url is set. %s",
-					StellarCoreBinaryPathName, captiveCoreMigrationHint)
-			}
 			config.CaptiveCoreTomlParams.CoreBinaryPath = config.CaptiveCoreBinaryPath
 			if config.CaptiveCoreConfigPath == "" {
 				if options.RequireCaptiveCoreConfig {