diff --git a/README b/README
index 03fa84547..a8acf42f8 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -336,11 +336,6 @@ Options
     repeatedly to include multiple files. They will be included in the
     order specified.  Implies `--standalone`.
 
-`-C` *FILE*, `--custom-header=`*FILE*
-:   Use contents of *FILE* as the document header. Implies `--standalone`.
-    *Note: This option is deprecated. Users should transition to using
-    `--template` instead.*
-
 `--reference-odt=`*FILE*
 :   Use the specified file as a style reference in producing an ODT.
     For best results, the reference ODT should be a modified version
@@ -486,8 +481,6 @@ To write a literal `$` in a template, use `$$`.
 Some variables are set automatically by pandoc.  These vary somewhat
 depending on the output format, but include:
 
-`legacy-header`
-:   contents specified by `-C/--custom-header`
 `header-includes`
 :   contents specified by `-H/--include-in-header` (may have multiple
     values)
diff --git a/man/man1/markdown2pdf.1.md b/man/man1/markdown2pdf.1.md
index d32b28e22..da3f330c9 100644
--- a/man/man1/markdown2pdf.1.md
+++ b/man/man1/markdown2pdf.1.md
@@ -71,10 +71,6 @@ packages are not included in your latex setup, they can be obtained from
 -A *FILE*, \--include-after-body=*FILE*
 :   Include (LaTeX) contents of *FILE* at the end of the document body.
 
--C *FILE*, \--custom-header=*FILE*
-:   Use contents of *FILE* as the document header. *Note: This option is
-    deprecated. Users should transition to using `--template` instead.*
-
 \--bibliography=*FILE*
 :   Specify bibliography database to be used in resolving
     citations. The database type will be determined from the
diff --git a/src/pandoc.hs b/src/pandoc.hs
index 52dfb731a..daad7d43c 100644
--- a/src/pandoc.hs
+++ b/src/pandoc.hs
@@ -409,16 +409,6 @@ options =
                   "FILENAME")
                  "" -- "File to include after document body"
 
-    , Option "C" ["custom-header"]
-                 (ReqArg
-                  (\arg opt -> do
-                     text <- UTF8.readFile arg
-                     let newVars = ("legacy-header", text) : optVariables opt
-                     return opt { optVariables = newVars
-                                , optStandalone = True })
-                  "FILENAME")
-                 "" -- "File to use for custom header (implies -s)"
-
     , Option "T" ["title-prefix"]
                  (ReqArg
                   (\arg opt -> do
@@ -635,13 +625,6 @@ main = do
        mapM_ (\arg -> UTF8.hPutStrLn stdout arg) args
        exitWith ExitSuccess
 
-  -- warn about deprecated options
-  case lookup "legacy-header" variables of
-     Just _  -> UTF8.hPutStrLn stderr $
-       "Warning: The -C/--custom-header is deprecated.\n" ++
-       "Please transition to using --template instead."
-     Nothing -> return ()
-
   let sources = if ignoreArgs then [] else args
 
   datadir <- case mbDataDir of
diff --git a/templates/context.template b/templates/context.template
index 6d7e842a2..4269d06a1 100644
--- a/templates/context.template
+++ b/templates/context.template
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-$if(legacy-header)$
-$legacy-header$
-$else$
 \enableregime[utf]  % use UTF-8
 
 \setupcolors[state=start]
@@ -52,7 +49,6 @@ after={\blank[medium]},
 ]
 
 \protect
-$endif$
 $for(header-includes)$
 $header-includes$
 $endfor$
diff --git a/templates/docbook.template b/templates/docbook.template
index cd9ec59ca..66dfbef8d 100644
--- a/templates/docbook.template
+++ b/templates/docbook.template
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
-$if(legacy-header)$
-$legacy-header$
-$else$
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
 <!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.4//EN"
                   "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.4/docbookx.dtd">
-$endif$
 <article>
   <articleinfo>
     <title>$title$</title>
diff --git a/templates/latex.template b/templates/latex.template
index d44248ffc..eeb2f9e4b 100644
--- a/templates/latex.template
+++ b/templates/latex.template
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-$if(legacy-header)$
-$legacy-header$
-$else$
 \documentclass$if(fontsize)$[$fontsize$]$endif${article}
 \usepackage{amssymb,amsmath}
 $if(xetex)$
@@ -20,7 +17,6 @@ $if(lhs)$
 \usepackage{listings}
 \lstnewenvironment{code}{\lstset{language=Haskell,basicstyle=\small\ttfamily}}{}
 $endif$
-$endif$
 $if(verbatim-in-note)$
 \usepackage{fancyvrb}
 $endif$
diff --git a/templates/mediawiki.template b/templates/mediawiki.template
index 673e2fc8d..5d210fa7d 100644
--- a/templates/mediawiki.template
+++ b/templates/mediawiki.template
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-$if(legacy-header)$
-$legacy-header$
-$endif$
 $for(include-before)$
 $include-before$
 
diff --git a/templates/rtf.template b/templates/rtf.template
index c5493cd34..833e19844 100644
--- a/templates/rtf.template
+++ b/templates/rtf.template
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
-$if(legacy-header)$
-$legacy-header$
-$else$
 {\rtf1\ansi\deff0{\fonttbl{\f0 \fswiss Helvetica;}{\f1 Courier;}}
 {\colortbl;\red255\green0\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;}
 \widowctrl\hyphauto
-$endif$
 $for(header-includes)$
 $header-includes$
 $endfor$
diff --git a/templates/texinfo.template b/templates/texinfo.template
index 58948a068..9c1d8e178 100644
--- a/templates/texinfo.template
+++ b/templates/texinfo.template
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
-$if(legacy-header)$
-$legacy-header$
-$else$
 \input texinfo
 @documentencoding utf-8
-$endif$
 $for(header-includes)$
 $header-includes$
 $endfor$
diff --git a/templates/textile.template b/templates/textile.template
index 1862360a8..69bd05b56 100644
--- a/templates/textile.template
+++ b/templates/textile.template
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-$if(legacy-header)$
-$legacy-header$
-$endif$
 $for(include-before)$
 $include-before$