diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/env.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/env.ts
index 91e7ce50d84..eca0695e171 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/env.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/env.ts
@@ -143,13 +143,11 @@ export class EnvService implements IEnvService {
 
 		const argv = parseArgs(args);
 		const paths = parsePathArguments(this._currentWorkingDirectory, argv._, argv.goto);
-		const timestamp = parseInt(argv.timestamp);
 		const debugBrkFileWatcherPort = getNumericValue(argv.debugBrkFileWatcherPort, void 0);
 
 		this._cliArgs = Object.freeze({
 			_: [],
 			paths,
-			timestamp: types.isNumber(timestamp) ? String(timestamp) : '0',
 			performance: argv.performance,
 			verbose: argv.verbose,
 			debugPluginHost: argv.debugPluginHost,
diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts
index 1a7f57bf130..c268fbd33dc 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts
@@ -134,9 +134,6 @@ function main(accessor: ServicesAccessor, mainIpcServer: Server, userEnv: IProce
 		app.setAppUserModelId(envService.product.win32AppUserModelId);
 	}
 
-	// Set programStart in the global scope
-	global.programStart = envService.cliArgs.timestamp;
-
 	function dispose() {
 		if (mainIpcServer) {
 			mainIpcServer.dispose();
diff --git a/src/vs/code/node/argv.ts b/src/vs/code/node/argv.ts
index a8f2274bbf0..89a888d3f83 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/node/argv.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/node/argv.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ export interface ParsedArgs extends minimist.ParsedArgs {
 	extensionHomePath?: string;
 	extensionDevelopmentPath?: string;
 	extensionTestsPath?: string;
-	timestamp?: string;
 	debugBrkPluginHost?: string;
 	debugPluginHost?: string;
 	'list-extensions'?: boolean;
@@ -40,7 +39,6 @@ const options: minimist.Opts = {
 		'extensionHomePath',
 		'extensionDevelopmentPath',
 		'extensionTestsPath',
-		'timestamp',
 		'install-extension',
 		'uninstall-extension',
 		'debugBrkPluginHost',
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/actions.ts b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/actions.ts
index acca479490b..6fe07ef28ae 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/actions.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/actions.ts
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ export class ShowStartupPerformance extends Action {
 		const table: any[] = [];
 		table.push(...this._analyzeLoaderTimes());
 
-		const start = Math.round(remote.getGlobal('programStart') || remote.getGlobal('vscodeStart'));
+		const start = Math.round(remote.getGlobal('vscodeStart'));
 		const windowShowTime = Math.round(remote.getGlobal('windowShow'));
 
 		let lastEvent: timer.ITimerEvent;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/bootstrap/index.js b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/bootstrap/index.js
index f1053f75899..3250e766536 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/bootstrap/index.js
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/bootstrap/index.js
@@ -162,16 +162,9 @@ function main() {
 		};
 
 		if (configuration.performance) {
-			const programStart = remote.getGlobal('programStart');
 			const vscodeStart = remote.getGlobal('vscodeStart');
-
-			if (programStart) {
-				timers.beforeProgram = new Date(programStart);
-				timers.afterProgram = new Date(vscodeStart);
-			}
-
 			timers.vscodeStart = new Date(vscodeStart);
-			timers.start = new Date(programStart || vscodeStart);
+			timers.start = new Date(vscodeStart);
 		}
 
 		timers.beforeLoad = new Date();
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts
index 30f4194c74e..303c4ed199b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts
@@ -376,17 +376,6 @@ export class WorkbenchShell {
 		if (timers) {
 			const events: timer.IExistingTimerEvent[] = [];
 
-			// Program
-			if (timers.beforeProgram) {
-				events.push({
-					startTime: timers.beforeProgram,
-					stopTime: timers.afterProgram,
-					topic: 'Startup',
-					name: 'Program Start',
-					description: 'Time it takes to pass control to VSCodes main method'
-				});
-			}
-
 			// Window
 			if (timers.vscodeStart) {
 				events.push({