diff --git a/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml b/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml
index 3f1d8eb521..d1ce43e23a 100644
--- a/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml
+++ b/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-fetching.xml
@@ -268,15 +268,6 @@
                 <link linkend='var-FILESPATH'><filename>FILESPATH</filename></link>
                 variable is used in the same way
                 <filename>PATH</filename> is used to find executables.
-                Failing that,
-                <link linkend='var-FILESDIR'><filename>FILESDIR</filename></link>
-                is used to find the appropriate relative file.
-                <note>
-                    <filename>FILESDIR</filename> is deprecated and can
-                    be replaced with <filename>FILESPATH</filename>.
-                    Because <filename>FILESDIR</filename> is likely to be
-                    removed, you should not use this variable in any new code.
-                </note>
                 If the file cannot be found, it is assumed that it is available in
                 <link linkend='var-DL_DIR'><filename>DL_DIR</filename></link>
                 by the time the <filename>download()</filename> method is called.
diff --git a/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-ref-variables.xml b/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-ref-variables.xml
index 66d8f844ef..0e89bf2396 100644
--- a/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-ref-variables.xml
+++ b/bitbake/doc/bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-ref-variables.xml
@@ -1539,24 +1539,6 @@
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
-        <glossentry id='var-FILESDIR'><glossterm>FILESDIR</glossterm>
-            <glossdef>
-                <para>
-                    Specifies directories BitBake uses when searching for
-                    patches and files.
-                    The "local" fetcher module uses these directories when
-                    handling <filename>file://</filename> URLs if the file
-                    was not found using
-                    <link linkend='var-FILESPATH'><filename>FILESPATH</filename></link>.
-                    <note>
-                        The <filename>FILESDIR</filename> variable is
-                        deprecated and you should use
-                        <filename>FILESPATH</filename> in all new code.
-                    </note>
-                </para>
-            </glossdef>
-        </glossentry>
-
         <glossentry id='var-FILESPATH'><glossterm>FILESPATH</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py
index 2ff77234e5..a114ac12e5 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py
@@ -67,12 +67,6 @@ class Local(FetchMethod):
             logger.debug(2, "Searching for %s in paths:\n    %s" % (path, "\n    ".join(filespath.split(":"))))
             newpath, hist = bb.utils.which(filespath, path, history=True)
             searched.extend(hist)
-        if not newpath:
-            filesdir = d.getVar('FILESDIR')
-            if filesdir:
-                logger.debug(2, "Searching for %s in path: %s" % (path, filesdir))
-                newpath = os.path.join(filesdir, path)
-                searched.append(newpath)
         if (not newpath or not os.path.exists(newpath)) and path.find("*") != -1:
             # For expressions using '*', best we can do is take the first directory in FILESPATH that exists
             newpath, hist = bb.utils.which(filespath, ".", history=True)
@@ -102,9 +96,6 @@ class Local(FetchMethod):
             filespath = d.getVar('FILESPATH')
             if filespath:
                 locations = filespath.split(":")
-            filesdir = d.getVar('FILESDIR')
-            if filesdir:
-                locations.append(filesdir)
             locations.append(d.getVar("DL_DIR"))
 
             msg = "Unable to find file " + urldata.url + " anywhere. The paths that were searched were:\n    " + "\n    ".join(locations)