diff --git a/shared-core/i915_dma.c b/shared-core/i915_dma.c
index 5e06fa6d..db857fbd 100644
--- a/shared-core/i915_dma.c
+++ b/shared-core/i915_dma.c
@@ -232,9 +232,6 @@ static int i915_initialize(struct drm_device * dev,
 	/* We are using separate values as placeholders for mechanisms for
 	 * private backbuffer/depthbuffer usage.
 	 */
-	dev_priv->use_mi_batchbuffer_start = 0;
-	if (IS_I965G(dev)) /* 965 doesn't support older method */
-		dev_priv->use_mi_batchbuffer_start = 1;
 
 	/* Allow hardware batchbuffers unless told otherwise.
 	 */
@@ -610,7 +607,14 @@ int i915_dispatch_batchbuffer(struct drm_device * dev,
 				return ret;
 		}
 
-		if (dev_priv->use_mi_batchbuffer_start) {
+		if (IS_I830(dev) || IS_845G(dev)) {
+			BEGIN_LP_RING(4);
+			OUT_RING(MI_BATCH_BUFFER);
+			OUT_RING(batch->start | MI_BATCH_NON_SECURE);
+			OUT_RING(batch->start + batch->used - 4);
+			OUT_RING(0);
+			ADVANCE_LP_RING();
+		} else {
 			BEGIN_LP_RING(2);
 			if (IS_I965G(dev)) {
 				OUT_RING(MI_BATCH_BUFFER_START | (2 << 6) | MI_BATCH_NON_SECURE_I965);
@@ -620,14 +624,6 @@ int i915_dispatch_batchbuffer(struct drm_device * dev,
 				OUT_RING(batch->start | MI_BATCH_NON_SECURE);
 			}
 			ADVANCE_LP_RING();
-
-		} else {
-			BEGIN_LP_RING(4);
-			OUT_RING(MI_BATCH_BUFFER);
-			OUT_RING(batch->start | MI_BATCH_NON_SECURE);
-			OUT_RING(batch->start + batch->used - 4);
-			OUT_RING(0);
-			ADVANCE_LP_RING();
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -896,8 +892,6 @@ static int i915_setparam(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 
 	switch (param->param) {
 	case I915_SETPARAM_USE_MI_BATCHBUFFER_START:
-		if (!IS_I965G(dev))
-			dev_priv->use_mi_batchbuffer_start = param->value;
 		break;
 	case I915_SETPARAM_TEX_LRU_LOG_GRANULARITY:
 		dev_priv->tex_lru_log_granularity = param->value;
diff --git a/shared-core/i915_drv.h b/shared-core/i915_drv.h
index 34e81ad5..6d72c051 100644
--- a/shared-core/i915_drv.h
+++ b/shared-core/i915_drv.h
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ struct drm_i915_private {
 	struct drm_buffer_object *hws_bo;
 
 	unsigned int cpp;
-	int use_mi_batchbuffer_start;
 
 	wait_queue_head_t irq_queue;
 	atomic_t irq_received;
diff --git a/shared-core/i915_init.c b/shared-core/i915_init.c
index f03f8949..f2c07fc6 100644
--- a/shared-core/i915_init.c
+++ b/shared-core/i915_init.c
@@ -151,13 +151,6 @@ int i915_load_modeset_init(struct drm_device *dev)
 	I915_WRITE(PRB0_CTL, ((dev_priv->ring.Size - 4096) & RING_NR_PAGES) |
 		   (RING_NO_REPORT | RING_VALID));
 
-	/* We are using separate values as placeholders for mechanisms for
-	 * private backbuffer/depthbuffer usage.
-	 */
-	dev_priv->use_mi_batchbuffer_start = 0;
-	if (IS_I965G(dev)) /* 965 doesn't support older method */
-		dev_priv->use_mi_batchbuffer_start = 1;
-
 	/* Allow hardware batchbuffers unless told otherwise.
 	 */
 	dev_priv->allow_batchbuffer = 1;