diff --git a/Config.in b/Config.in
index 86699f58c6..0d7641633c 100644
--- a/Config.in
+++ b/Config.in
@@ -685,24 +685,6 @@ config BR2_GLOBAL_PATCH_DIR
 
 menu "Advanced"
 
-config BR2_COMPILER_PARANOID_UNSAFE_PATH
-	bool "paranoid check of library/header paths"
-	default y
-	help
-	  By default, when this option is disabled, when the Buildroot
-	  cross-compiler will encounter an unsafe library or header path
-	  (such as /usr/include, or /usr/lib), the compiler will display
-	  a warning.
-
-	  By enabling this option, this warning is turned into an error,
-	  which will completely abort the build when such unsafe paths
-	  are encountered.
-
-	  Note that this mechanism is available for both the internal
-	  toolchain (through the toolchain wrapper and binutils patches)
-	  and external toolchain backends (through the toolchain
-	  wrapper).
-
 config BR2_FORCE_HOST_BUILD
 	bool "Force the building of host dependencies"
 	help
diff --git a/package/Makefile.in b/package/Makefile.in
index 7f1b00ba24..d70aded82b 100644
--- a/package/Makefile.in
+++ b/package/Makefile.in
@@ -426,9 +426,8 @@ else ifeq ($(BR2_SHARED_STATIC_LIBS),y)
 SHARED_STATIC_LIBS_OPTS = --enable-static --enable-shared
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_COMPILER_PARANOID_UNSAFE_PATH),y)
+# Used by our binutils patches.
 export BR_COMPILER_PARANOID_UNSAFE_PATH=enabled
-endif
 
 include package/pkg-download.mk
 include package/pkg-autotools.mk
diff --git a/support/config-fragments/minimal.config b/support/config-fragments/minimal.config
index 71344e2c69..3430fcce11 100644
--- a/support/config-fragments/minimal.config
+++ b/support/config-fragments/minimal.config
@@ -4,5 +4,4 @@ BR2_INIT_NONE=y
 BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_NONE=y
 # BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX is not set
 # BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_TAR is not set
-BR2_COMPILER_PARANOID_UNSAFE_PATH=y
 BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_SHOW_OTHERS=y
diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-wrapper.c b/toolchain/toolchain-wrapper.c
index 37b24dd24a..4c08e97237 100644
--- a/toolchain/toolchain-wrapper.c
+++ b/toolchain/toolchain-wrapper.c
@@ -154,12 +154,9 @@ static const struct str_len_s unsafe_opts[] = {
  * or separated (e.g. -I /foo/bar). In the first case, we need only print
  * the argument as it already contains the path (arg_has_path), while in
  * the second case we need to print both (!arg_has_path).
- *
- * If paranoid, exit in error instead of just printing a warning.
  */
 static void check_unsafe_path(const char *arg,
 			      const char *path,
-			      int paranoid,
 			      int arg_has_path)
 {
 	const struct str_len_s *p;
@@ -168,14 +165,12 @@ static void check_unsafe_path(const char *arg,
 		if (strncmp(path, p->str, p->len))
 			continue;
 		fprintf(stderr,
-			"%s: %s: unsafe header/library path used in cross-compilation: '%s%s%s'\n",
+			"%s: ERROR: unsafe header/library path used in cross-compilation: '%s%s%s'\n",
 			program_invocation_short_name,
-			paranoid ? "ERROR" : "WARNING",
 			arg,
 			arg_has_path ? "" : "' '", /* close single-quote, space, open single-quote */
 			arg_has_path ? "" : path); /* so that arg and path are properly quoted. */
-		if (paranoid)
-			exit(1);
+		exit(1);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -250,8 +245,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	char *progpath = argv[0];
 	char *basename;
 	char *env_debug;
-	char *paranoid_wrapper;
-	int paranoid;
 	int ret, i, count = 0, debug = 0, found_shared = 0;
 
 	/* Debug the wrapper to see arguments it was called with.
@@ -470,12 +463,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif
 	}
 
-	paranoid_wrapper = getenv("BR_COMPILER_PARANOID_UNSAFE_PATH");
-	if (paranoid_wrapper && strlen(paranoid_wrapper) > 0)
-		paranoid = 1;
-	else
-		paranoid = 0;
-
 	/* Check for unsafe library and header paths */
 	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
 		const struct str_len_s *opt;
@@ -492,9 +479,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 				i++;
 				if (i == argc)
 					break;
-				check_unsafe_path(argv[i-1], argv[i], paranoid, 0);
+				check_unsafe_path(argv[i-1], argv[i], 0);
 			} else
-				check_unsafe_path(argv[i], argv[i] + opt->len, paranoid, 1);
+				check_unsafe_path(argv[i], argv[i] + opt->len, 1);
 		}
 	}