diff --git a/src/File.php b/src/File.php
index 8dc73e4f..415f0a8c 100644
--- a/src/File.php
+++ b/src/File.php
@@ -255,14 +255,6 @@ class File extends DataObject implements AssetContainer, Thumbnail, CMSPreviewab
      */
     private static $apply_restrictions_to_admin = true;
 
-    /**
-     * If enabled, legacy file dataobjects will be automatically imported into the APL
-     *
-     * @config
-     * @var bool
-     */
-    private static $migrate_legacy_file = false;
-
     /**
      * @config
      * @var boolean
@@ -1206,21 +1198,6 @@ public function getTag()
         return (string)$this->renderWith($template);
     }
 
-    public function requireDefaultRecords()
-    {
-        parent::requireDefaultRecords();
-
-        // Check if old file records should be migrated
-        if (!$this->config()->get('migrate_legacy_file')) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        $migrated = FileMigrationHelper::singleton()->run();
-        if ($migrated) {
-            DB::alteration_message("{$migrated} File DataObjects upgraded", "changed");
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Get the back-link tracking objects that link to this file via HTML fields
      *
diff --git a/tests/php/Dev/Tasks/FileMigrationHelperTest.php b/tests/php/Dev/Tasks/FileMigrationHelperTest.php
index cc9efd1f..c5086319 100644
--- a/tests/php/Dev/Tasks/FileMigrationHelperTest.php
+++ b/tests/php/Dev/Tasks/FileMigrationHelperTest.php
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ protected function getBasePath()
 
     public function setUp()
     {
-        Config::nest(); // additional nesting here necessary
-        Config::modify()->merge(File::class, 'migrate_legacy_file', false);
         parent::setUp();
 
         // Set backend root to /FileMigrationHelperTest/assets
@@ -77,7 +75,6 @@ public function tearDown()
         TestAssetStore::reset();
         Filesystem::removeFolder($this->getBasePath());
         parent::tearDown();
-        Config::unnest();
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/php/LegacyThumbnailMigrationHelperTest.php b/tests/php/LegacyThumbnailMigrationHelperTest.php
index f0b9a491..a40356a7 100644
--- a/tests/php/LegacyThumbnailMigrationHelperTest.php
+++ b/tests/php/LegacyThumbnailMigrationHelperTest.php
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ protected function getBasePath()
 
     public function setUp()
     {
-        Config::nest(); // additional nesting here necessary
-        Config::modify()->merge(File::class, 'migrate_legacy_file', false);
         parent::setUp();
 
         // Set backend root to /LegacyThumbnailMigrationHelperTest/assets
@@ -68,7 +66,6 @@ public function tearDown()
         TestAssetStore::reset();
         Filesystem::removeFolder($this->getBasePath());
         parent::tearDown();
-        Config::unnest();
     }
 
     public function testMigratesThumbnailsForProtectedFiles()