diff --git a/readthedocs/projects/models.py b/readthedocs/projects/models.py
index bb5c1eed8fc..483cb491bcf 100644
--- a/readthedocs/projects/models.py
+++ b/readthedocs/projects/models.py
@@ -1396,7 +1396,6 @@ def add_features(sender, **kwargs):
     USE_SPHINX_LATEST = 'use_sphinx_latest'
     ALLOW_DEPRECATED_WEBHOOKS = 'allow_deprecated_webhooks'
     PIP_ALWAYS_UPGRADE = 'pip_always_upgrade'
-    SKIP_SUBMODULES = 'skip_submodules'
     DONT_OVERWRITE_SPHINX_CONTEXT = 'dont_overwrite_sphinx_context'
     MKDOCS_THEME_RTD = 'mkdocs_theme_rtd'
     API_LARGE_DATA = 'api_large_data'
@@ -1413,7 +1412,6 @@ def add_features(sender, **kwargs):
         (USE_SPHINX_LATEST, _('Use latest version of Sphinx')),
         (ALLOW_DEPRECATED_WEBHOOKS, _('Allow deprecated webhook views')),
         (PIP_ALWAYS_UPGRADE, _('Always run pip install --upgrade')),
-        (SKIP_SUBMODULES, _('Skip git submodule checkout')),
         (
             DONT_OVERWRITE_SPHINX_CONTEXT,
             _(
diff --git a/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_backend.py b/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_backend.py
index c93c866d708..acb0984aab4 100644
--- a/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_backend.py
+++ b/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_backend.py
@@ -181,13 +181,6 @@ def test_skip_submodule_checkout(self):
         repo.update()
         repo.checkout('submodule')
         self.assertTrue(repo.are_submodules_available(self.dummy_conf))
-        fixture.get(
-            Feature,
-            projects=[self.project],
-            feature_id=Feature.SKIP_SUBMODULES,
-        )
-        self.assertTrue(self.project.has_feature(Feature.SKIP_SUBMODULES))
-        self.assertFalse(repo.are_submodules_available(self.dummy_conf))
 
     def test_use_shallow_clone(self):
         repo = self.project.vcs_repo()
diff --git a/readthedocs/vcs_support/backends/git.py b/readthedocs/vcs_support/backends/git.py
index 1e00dfa3d30..454f905daea 100644
--- a/readthedocs/vcs_support/backends/git.py
+++ b/readthedocs/vcs_support/backends/git.py
@@ -74,15 +74,10 @@ def repo_exists(self):
 
     def are_submodules_available(self, config):
         """Test whether git submodule checkout step should be performed."""
-        # TODO remove this after users migrate to a config file
-        from readthedocs.projects.models import Feature
         submodules_in_config = (
             config.submodules.exclude != ALL or config.submodules.include
         )
-        if (
-            self.project.has_feature(Feature.SKIP_SUBMODULES) or
-            not submodules_in_config
-        ):
+        if not submodules_in_config:
             return False
 
         # Keep compatibility with previous projects