diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6aeeacdb..cc354f6f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -229,12 +229,6 @@ if test "$gc" = yes; then
 fi
 
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(init-state, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-init-state],
-  [do not initialise DB etc. in `make install']),
-  init_state=$enableval, init_state=yes)
-#AM_CONDITIONAL(INIT_STATE, test "$init_state" = "yes")
-
-
 # documentation generation switch
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(doc-gen, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-doc-gen],
   [disable documentation generation]),
diff --git a/release-common.nix b/release-common.nix
index e23967bd..ace2a4f9 100644
--- a/release-common.nix
+++ b/release-common.nix
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ rec {
   });
 
   configureFlags =
-    [ "--disable-init-state"
+    [
       "--enable-gc"
     ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isLinux [
       "--with-sandbox-shell=${sh}/bin/busybox"
diff --git a/release.nix b/release.nix
index 076f1de8..5c3fdf55 100644
--- a/release.nix
+++ b/release.nix
@@ -189,10 +189,6 @@ let
 
         buildInputs = buildDeps;
 
-        configureFlags = ''
-          --disable-init-state
-        '';
-
         dontInstall = false;
 
         doInstallCheck = true;