diff --git a/audio_alsa.c b/audio_alsa.c
index 05f27a10..b3335d7e 100644
--- a/audio_alsa.c
+++ b/audio_alsa.c
@@ -95,8 +95,6 @@ static void help(void) {
 static int init(int argc, char **argv) {
   const char *str;
   int value;
-  
-  uint32_t buffer_length_hardware = 6615; // default for alsa with a hardware mixer
 
   int hardware_mixer = 0;
 
@@ -119,17 +117,6 @@ static int init(int argc, char **argv) {
       }
     }
     
-    /* Get the desired buffer size setting. */
-    if (config_lookup_int(config.cfg, "alsa.audio_backend_buffer_desired_length_hardware", &value)) {
-      if ((value < 0) || (value > 66150))
-        die("Invalid alsa audio backend buffer desired length (hardware) \"%d\". It should be between 0 and "
-            "66150, default is 6615",
-            value);
-      else {
-        buffer_length_hardware = value;
-      }
-    }
-
     /* Get the latency offset. */
     if (config_lookup_int(config.cfg, "alsa.audio_backend_latency_offset", &value)) {
       if ((value < -66150) || (value > 66150))
@@ -199,8 +186,6 @@ static int init(int argc, char **argv) {
 
   if (!hardware_mixer)
     return 0;
-  
-  config.audio_backend_buffer_desired_length = buffer_length_hardware;
 
   if (alsa_mix_dev == NULL)
     alsa_mix_dev = alsa_out_dev;
diff --git a/scripts/shairport-sync.conf b/scripts/shairport-sync.conf
index 19697e07..3bfcde5b 100644
--- a/scripts/shairport-sync.conf
+++ b/scripts/shairport-sync.conf
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ alsa =
 //  mixer_device = "default"; //actually, the mixer default is whatever the output_device is. Normally you wouldn't have to use this.
 //  mixer_control_name = "PCM"; // the name of the mixer to use -- there is no default.
 //  audio_backend_latency_offset = 0; // Set this offset to compensate for a fixed delay in the audio back end. E.g. if the output device delays by 100 ms, set this to -4410.
-//  audio_backend_buffer_desired_length_software = 6615; // If set too small, buffer underflow occurs on low-powered machines. Too long and the response times with software mixer become annoying.
-//  audio_backend_buffer_desired_length_hardware = 6615; // If set too large, there is less opportunity for late packets to be retrieved, and it may be bigger than the actual buffer.
+//  audio_backend_buffer_desired_length = 6615; // If set too small, buffer underflow occurs on low-powered machines. Too long and the response times with software mixer become annoying.
 };
 
 // These are parameters for the pipe back end, an experimental back end that directs output to a pipe.