diff --git a/src/vs/platform/environment/common/argv.ts b/src/vs/platform/environment/common/argv.ts
index db19acb10c7..2ac99a2120e 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/environment/common/argv.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/environment/common/argv.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ export interface NativeParsedArgs {
 	'enable-proposed-api'?: string[]; // undefined or array of 1 or more
 	'open-url'?: boolean;
 	'skip-release-notes'?: boolean;
-	'disable-restore-windows'?: boolean;
 	'disable-telemetry'?: boolean;
 	'export-default-configuration'?: string;
 	'install-source'?: string;
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
index fba8ce9fa29..662547909e5 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ export const OPTIONS: OptionDescriptions<Required<NativeParsedArgs>> = {
 	'driver': { type: 'string' },
 	'logExtensionHostCommunication': { type: 'boolean' },
 	'skip-release-notes': { type: 'boolean' },
-	'disable-restore-windows': { type: 'boolean' },
 	'disable-telemetry': { type: 'boolean' },
 	'disable-updates': { type: 'boolean' },
 	'disable-crash-reporter': { type: 'boolean' },
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts
index 22bbc942cca..cce5a30a963 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 		// These are windows to restore because of hot-exit or from previous session (only performed once on startup!)
 		//
 		let workspacesToRestore: IWorkspacePathToOpen[] = [];
-		if (openConfig.initialStartup && !openConfig.cli.extensionDevelopmentPath && !openConfig.cli['disable-restore-windows']) {
+		if (openConfig.initialStartup && !openConfig.cli.extensionDevelopmentPath) {
 
 			// Untitled workspaces are always restored
 			workspacesToRestore = this.workspacesMainService.getUntitledWorkspacesSync();
diff --git a/test/automation/src/code.ts b/test/automation/src/code.ts
index ba7249f6b67..6307cc3263b 100644
--- a/test/automation/src/code.ts
+++ b/test/automation/src/code.ts
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ export async function spawn(options: SpawnOptions): Promise<Code> {
 		'--disable-crash-reporter',
 		`--extensions-dir=${options.extensionsPath}`,
 		`--user-data-dir=${options.userDataDir}`,
-		`--disable-restore-windows`,
 		'--driver', handle
 	];
 
diff --git a/test/smoke/src/areas/multiroot/multiroot.test.ts b/test/smoke/src/areas/multiroot/multiroot.test.ts
index 604d0f5a2df..3c11cd5c553 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/areas/multiroot/multiroot.test.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/areas/multiroot/multiroot.test.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export function setup() {
 
 			// restart with preventing additional windows from restoring
 			// to ensure the window after restart is the multi-root workspace
-			await app.restart({ workspaceOrFolder: workspaceFilePath, extraArgs: ['--disable-restore-windows'] });
+			await app.restart({ workspaceOrFolder: workspaceFilePath });
 		});
 
 		it('shows results from all folders', async function () {