diff --git a/docs/user/FlowVariables.md b/docs/user/FlowVariables.md
index c2439b6f81..4ec3c798cf 100644
--- a/docs/user/FlowVariables.md
+++ b/docs/user/FlowVariables.md
@@ -182,7 +182,6 @@ configuration file.
| PWR_NETS_VOLTAGES| Used for IR Drop calculation.| |
| RCX_RULES| RC Extraction rules file path.| |
| RECOVER_POWER| Specifies how many percent of paths with positive slacks can be slowed for power savings [0-100].| 0|
-| REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS (deprecated)| Remove abc buffers from the netlist. If timing repair in floorplanning is taking too long, use a SETUP/HOLD_SLACK_MARGIN to terminate timing repair early instead of using REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS or set SKIP_LAST_GASP=1.| |
| REMOVE_CELLS_FOR_EQY| String patterns directly passed to write_verilog -remove_cells <> for equivalence checks.| |
| REPAIR_PDN_VIA_LAYER| Remove power grid vias which generate DRC violations after detailed routing.| |
| REPORT_CLOCK_SKEW| Report clock skew as part of reporting metrics, starting at CTS, before which there is no clock skew. This metric can be quite time-consuming, so it can be useful to disable.| 1|
@@ -317,7 +316,6 @@ configuration file.
- [PLACE_DENSITY](#PLACE_DENSITY)
- [PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON](#PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON)
- [PLACE_SITE](#PLACE_SITE)
-- [REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS](#REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS)
- [ROUTING_LAYER_ADJUSTMENT](#ROUTING_LAYER_ADJUSTMENT)
- [RTLMP_AREA_WT](#RTLMP_AREA_WT)
- [RTLMP_ARGS](#RTLMP_ARGS)
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk
index ce53e6c2aa..5d7b425b15 100644
--- a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk
@@ -19,5 +19,4 @@ export SKIP_REPORT_METRICS = 1
# Faster build, remove these in your own config.mk
export SKIP_CTS_REPAIR_TIMING = 1
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
export SKIP_INCREMENTAL_REPAIR = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/gf12/ariane/config.mk b/flow/designs/gf12/ariane/config.mk
index 28194633ef..a771ac28bf 100644
--- a/flow/designs/gf12/ariane/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/gf12/ariane/config.mk
@@ -32,5 +32,3 @@ export DESIGN_TYPE = CELL
else
export DESIGN_TYPE = CELL_NODEN
endif
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/gf12/ariane133/config.mk b/flow/designs/gf12/ariane133/config.mk
index 28c9649cd7..96b0c54a9f 100644
--- a/flow/designs/gf12/ariane133/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/gf12/ariane133/config.mk
@@ -29,5 +29,3 @@ export DESIGN_TYPE = CELL
else
export DESIGN_TYPE = CELL_NODEN
endif
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/gf12/swerv_wrapper/config.mk b/flow/designs/gf12/swerv_wrapper/config.mk
index 2ed5601613..ace2a23e1c 100644
--- a/flow/designs/gf12/swerv_wrapper/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/gf12/swerv_wrapper/config.mk
@@ -35,5 +35,3 @@ export DESIGN_TYPE = CELL
else
export DESIGN_TYPE = CELL_NODEN
endif
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/aes/config.mk b/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/aes/config.mk
index 5acb53d84d..a57eb8867e 100644
--- a/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/aes/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/aes/config.mk
@@ -12,5 +12,3 @@ export PLACE_DENSITY = 0.65
export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
export USE_FILL = 1
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/jpeg/config.mk b/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/jpeg/config.mk
index 24bb3852d5..76ccedafd6 100644
--- a/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/jpeg/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/ihp-sg13g2/jpeg/config.mk
@@ -9,6 +9,3 @@ export SDC_FILE = $(DESIGN_HOME)/$(PLATFORM)/$(DESIGN_NICKNAME)/constraint.
export CORE_UTILIZATION = 50
export PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON = 0.15
export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
-
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/config.mk b/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/config.mk
index 85b0da73d6..d5f0ec4d81 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/config.mk
@@ -16,7 +16,5 @@ export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
export FASTROUTE_TCL = $(DESIGN_HOME)/$(PLATFORM)/$(DESIGN_NICKNAME)/fastroute.tcl
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
-
export CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE = 20
export CTS_CLUSTER_DIAMETER = 50
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/BUILD.bazel b/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/BUILD.bazel
index 08f7adc3e6..50295aa352 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/BUILD.bazel
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ orfs_flow(
"CORE_UTILIZATION": "45",
"PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON": "0.25",
"TNS_END_PERCENT": "100",
- "REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS": "1",
"SYNTH_HDL_FRONTEND": "slang",
"VERILOG_INCLUDE_DIRS": "flow/designs/src/ibex_sv/vendor/lowrisc_ip/prim/rtl",
"CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE": "20",
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/config.mk b/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/config.mk
index 5f03b5aae7..7fb5fe0157 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/config.mk
@@ -21,7 +21,5 @@ export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
export FASTROUTE_TCL = $(DESIGN_HOME)/$(PLATFORM)/$(DESIGN_NICKNAME)/fastroute.tcl
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
-
export CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE = 20
export CTS_CLUSTER_DIAMETER = 50
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/config.mk b/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/config.mk
index dced6f2bca..3b86ccc548 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/config.mk
@@ -11,5 +11,3 @@ export PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON = 0.15
export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
export FASTROUTE_TCL = $(DESIGN_HOME)/$(PLATFORM)/$(DESIGN_NICKNAME)/fastroute.tcl
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/riscv32i/config.mk b/flow/designs/sky130hd/riscv32i/config.mk
index 523df1d1c1..9de72e53df 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/riscv32i/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/riscv32i/config.mk
@@ -7,5 +7,3 @@ export SDC_FILE = $(DESIGN_HOME)/$(PLATFORM)/$(DESIGN_NICKNAME)/constraint.
export CORE_UTILIZATION = 45
export PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON = 0.2
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hs/aes/config.mk b/flow/designs/sky130hs/aes/config.mk
index 4bf78ac5ec..455e1c39d2 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hs/aes/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hs/aes/config.mk
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ export CORE_MARGIN = 2
export PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON = 0.25
export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
-
export CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE = 10
export CTS_CLUSTER_DIAMETER = 50
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hs/ibex/config.mk b/flow/designs/sky130hs/ibex/config.mk
index bb2959edd3..d1aa6ad572 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hs/ibex/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hs/ibex/config.mk
@@ -15,5 +15,3 @@ export SDC_FILE = $(DESIGN_HOME)/$(PLATFORM)/$(DESIGN_NICKNAME)/constraint.
export CORE_UTILIZATION = 45
export PLACE_DENSITY_LB_ADDON = 0.2
export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hs/riscv32i/config.mk b/flow/designs/sky130hs/riscv32i/config.mk
index 1cf6ab1cf9..28b8ff1931 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hs/riscv32i/config.mk
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hs/riscv32i/config.mk
@@ -12,5 +12,3 @@ export PLACE_PINS_ARGS=-min_distance 6 -min_distance_in_tracks
export TNS_END_PERCENT = 100
export FASTROUTE_TCL = $(DESIGN_HOME)/$(PLATFORM)/$(DESIGN_NICKNAME)/fastroute.tcl
-
-export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
diff --git a/flow/scripts/floorplan.tcl b/flow/scripts/floorplan.tcl
index a3b4abe311..88c3126392 100644
--- a/flow/scripts/floorplan.tcl
+++ b/flow/scripts/floorplan.tcl
@@ -134,16 +134,6 @@ if { [env_var_exists_and_non_empty SWAP_ARITH_OPERATORS] } {
replace_arith_modules
}
-if { [env_var_equals REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS 1] } {
- # remove buffers inserted by yosys/abc
- remove_buffers
-} else {
- # Skip clone & split
- set ::env(SETUP_MOVE_SEQUENCE) "unbuffer,sizeup,swap,buffer,vt_swap"
- set ::env(SKIP_LAST_GASP) 1
- repair_timing_helper -setup
-}
-
puts "Default units for flow"
report_units
report_units_metric
diff --git a/flow/scripts/variables.yaml b/flow/scripts/variables.yaml
index 471534716e..af8858822b 100644
--- a/flow/scripts/variables.yaml
+++ b/flow/scripts/variables.yaml
@@ -322,14 +322,6 @@ FLOORPLAN_DEF:
stages:
- floorplan
- place
-REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS:
- description: >
- Remove abc buffers from the netlist. If timing repair in floorplanning is
- taking too long, use a SETUP/HOLD_SLACK_MARGIN to terminate timing repair early
- instead of using REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS or set SKIP_LAST_GASP=1.
- stages:
- - floorplan
- deprecated: 1
PLACE_SITE:
description: |
Placement site for core cells defined in the technology LEF file.