diff --git a/DOCS/man/af.rst b/DOCS/man/af.rst
index 29f6b0128abd7..8bef9a991f7e9 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/af.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/af.rst
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ syntax is:
     The ``--vf`` description describes how libavfilter can be used and how to
     workaround deprecated mpv filters.
 
-See ``--vf`` group of options for info on how ``--af-defaults``, ``--af-add``,
-``--af-pre``, ``--af-del``, ``--af-clr``, and possibly others work.
+See ``--vf`` group of options for info on how ``--af-add``, ``--af-pre``,
+``--af-del``, ``--af-clr``, and possibly others work.
 
 Available filters are:
 
diff --git a/DOCS/man/vf.rst b/DOCS/man/vf.rst
index d42acdc44b27c..da531eaae05f2 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/vf.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/vf.rst
@@ -55,14 +55,6 @@ above in combination with the ``vf`` command (see `COMMAND INTERFACE`_) to get
 more control over this. Initially disabled filters with ``!`` are useful for
 this as well.
 
-You can also set defaults for each filter. The defaults are applied before the
-normal filter parameters. This is deprecated and never worked for the
-libavfilter bridge.
-
-``--vf-defaults=<filter1[=parameter1:parameter2:...],filter2,...>``
-    Set defaults for each filter. (Deprecated. ``--af-defaults`` is deprecated
-    as well.)
-
 .. note::
 
     To get a full list of available video filters, see ``--vf=help`` and
diff --git a/filters/user_filters.c b/filters/user_filters.c
index cf1764e9c9974..c87953551c712 100644
--- a/filters/user_filters.c
+++ b/filters/user_filters.c
@@ -134,16 +134,13 @@ struct mp_filter *mp_create_user_filter(struct mp_filter *parent,
                                         const char *name, char **args)
 {
     const struct m_obj_list *obj_list = NULL;
-    const char *defs_name = NULL;
     enum mp_frame_type frame_type = 0;
     if (type == MP_OUTPUT_CHAIN_VIDEO) {
         frame_type = MP_FRAME_VIDEO;
         obj_list = &vf_obj_list;
-        defs_name = "vf-defaults";
     } else if (type == MP_OUTPUT_CHAIN_AUDIO) {
         frame_type = MP_FRAME_AUDIO;
         obj_list = &af_obj_list;
-        defs_name = "af-defaults";
     }
     assert(frame_type && obj_list);
 
@@ -163,18 +160,9 @@ struct mp_filter *mp_create_user_filter(struct mp_filter *parent,
 
     void *options = NULL;
     if (desc.options) {
-        struct m_obj_settings *defs = NULL;
-        if (defs_name) {
-            mp_read_option_raw(parent->global, defs_name,
-                                &m_option_type_obj_settings_list, &defs);
-        }
-
         struct m_config *config =
             m_config_from_obj_desc_and_args(NULL, parent->log, parent->global,
-                                            &desc, name, defs, args);
-
-        struct m_option dummy = {.type = &m_option_type_obj_settings_list};
-        m_option_free(&dummy, &defs);
+                                            &desc, args);
 
         if (!config)
             goto done;
diff --git a/options/m_config_frontend.c b/options/m_config_frontend.c
index 5a6db46d83f9d..8ad12e5d80d0b 100644
--- a/options/m_config_frontend.c
+++ b/options/m_config_frontend.c
@@ -168,18 +168,9 @@ static int m_config_set_obj_params(struct m_config *config, struct mp_log *log,
 
 struct m_config *m_config_from_obj_desc_and_args(void *ta_parent,
     struct mp_log *log, struct mpv_global *global, struct m_obj_desc *desc,
-    const char *name, struct m_obj_settings *defaults, char **args)
+    char **args)
 {
     struct m_config *config = m_config_from_obj_desc(ta_parent, log, global, desc);
-
-    for (int n = 0; defaults && defaults[n].name; n++) {
-        struct m_obj_settings *entry = &defaults[n];
-        if (name && strcmp(entry->name, name) == 0) {
-            if (m_config_set_obj_params(config, log, global, desc, entry->attribs) < 0)
-                goto error;
-        }
-    }
-
     if (m_config_set_obj_params(config, log, global, desc, args) < 0)
         goto error;
 
diff --git a/options/m_config_frontend.h b/options/m_config_frontend.h
index 2812033b755e4..72a5b81d94511 100644
--- a/options/m_config_frontend.h
+++ b/options/m_config_frontend.h
@@ -115,10 +115,9 @@ struct m_config *m_config_new(void *talloc_ctx, struct mp_log *log,
 // different sub-options for every filter (represented by separate desc
 // structs).
 // args is an array of key/value pairs (args=[k0, v0, k1, v1, ..., NULL]).
-// name/defaults is only needed for the legacy af-defaults/vf-defaults options.
 struct m_config *m_config_from_obj_desc_and_args(void *ta_parent,
     struct mp_log *log, struct mpv_global *global, struct m_obj_desc *desc,
-    const char *name, struct m_obj_settings *defaults, char **args);
+    char **args);
 
 // Like m_config_from_obj_desc_and_args(), but don't allocate option the
 // struct, i.e. m_config.optstruct==NULL. This is used by the sub-option
diff --git a/options/options.c b/options/options.c
index f080657e00ff8..1fc80ea3d626e 100644
--- a/options/options.c
+++ b/options/options.c
@@ -574,11 +574,7 @@ static const m_option_t mp_opts[] = {
 
 // ------------------------- codec/vfilter options --------------------
 
-    {"af-defaults", OPT_SETTINGSLIST(af_defs, &af_obj_list),
-        .deprecation_message = "use --af + enable/disable flags"},
     {"af", OPT_SETTINGSLIST(af_settings, &af_obj_list)},
-    {"vf-defaults", OPT_SETTINGSLIST(vf_defs, &vf_obj_list),
-        .deprecation_message = "use --vf + enable/disable flags"},
     {"vf", OPT_SETTINGSLIST(vf_settings, &vf_obj_list)},
 
     {"", OPT_SUBSTRUCT(filter_opts, filter_conf)},
diff --git a/options/options.h b/options/options.h
index f820a0cbc0b7d..b7af6efb988d0 100644
--- a/options/options.h
+++ b/options/options.h
@@ -299,8 +299,8 @@ typedef struct MPOpts {
     int force_srate;
     double playback_speed;
     bool pitch_correction;
-    struct m_obj_settings *vf_settings, *vf_defs;
-    struct m_obj_settings *af_settings, *af_defs;
+    struct m_obj_settings *vf_settings;
+    struct m_obj_settings *af_settings;
     struct filter_opts *filter_opts;
     struct dec_wrapper_opts *dec_wrapper;
     char **sub_name;