diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp
index 3f0b7abdc..d8c7ca935 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp
@@ -1078,7 +1078,6 @@ void CameraData::enumerateVideoDevices(MediaLink *link, const std::string &front
 int CameraData::loadPipelineConfiguration()
 {
 	config_ = {
-		.disableStartupFrameDrops = false,
 		.cameraTimeoutValue = 0,
 	};
 
@@ -1115,8 +1114,10 @@ int CameraData::loadPipelineConfiguration()
 
 	const YamlObject &phConfig = (*root)["pipeline_handler"];
 
-	config_.disableStartupFrameDrops =
-		phConfig["disable_startup_frame_drops"].get<bool>(config_.disableStartupFrameDrops);
+	if (phConfig.contains("disable_startup_frame_drops"))
+		LOG(RPI, Warning)
+			<< "The disable_startup_frame_drops key is now deprecated, "
+			<< "startup frames are now identified by the FrameMetadata::Status::FrameStartup flag";
 
 	config_.cameraTimeoutValue =
 		phConfig["camera_timeout_value_ms"].get<unsigned int>(config_.cameraTimeoutValue);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h
index 6023f9f9d..e27c4f860 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h
@@ -164,11 +164,6 @@ public:
 	bool buffersAllocated_;
 
 	struct Config {
-		/*
-		 * Override any request from the IPA to drop a number of startup
-		 * frames.
-		 */
-		bool disableStartupFrameDrops;
 		/*
 		 * Override the camera timeout value calculated by the IPA based
 		 * on frame durations.
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/data/example.yaml b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/data/example.yaml
index d67e654a8..baf03be79 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/data/example.yaml
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/data/example.yaml
@@ -16,11 +16,6 @@
                 #
                 # "num_cfe_config_queue": 2,
 
-                # Override any request from the IPA to drop a number of startup
-                # frames.
-                #
-                # "disable_startup_frame_drops": false,
-
                 # Custom timeout value (in ms) for camera to use. This overrides
                 # the value computed by the pipeline handler based on frame
                 # durations.
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/data/example.yaml b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/data/example.yaml
index b8e01adea..27e543488 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/data/example.yaml
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/data/example.yaml
@@ -29,11 +29,6 @@
                 #
                 # "min_total_unicam_buffers": 4,
 
-                # Override any request from the IPA to drop a number of startup
-                # frames.
-                #
-                # "disable_startup_frame_drops": false,
-
                 # Custom timeout value (in ms) for camera to use. This overrides
                 # the value computed by the pipeline handler based on frame
                 # durations.