diff --git a/ThirdParty/CMakeLists.txt b/ThirdParty/CMakeLists.txt
index 4bd1681920e21d053ebd4520aee56b27e4d7a5b7..32bec04c0f1a5593e01e9b057ca466c55338e586 100644
--- a/ThirdParty/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ThirdParty/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-# This is a workaround for Travis builds.
-option(OGS_USE_OPTIONAL_SUBMODULES "Option for enabling optional submodules" OFF)
-
 # iphreeqc
 if (OGS_BUILD_PROCESS_ComponentTransport
     OR OGS_BUILD_PROCESS_RichardsComponentTransport)
diff --git a/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md b/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md
index 4bf5b647e79d381b61ca47864d1383ec126153a5..66c82134f19ed18c75b939e5ea472b81ae33a66b 100644
--- a/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md
+++ b/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md
@@ -44,6 +44,5 @@ CMake switches to enable / disable parts of OGS.
 
 - `OGS_CXX_FLAGS` - Appends user-given compiler flags. Note that existing (CMake-given) flags are not replaced.
 - `OGS_PACKAGE_ADDITIONAL_BINARIES` - Package additional binaries (given as a `;`-separated list with relative paths to `CMAKE_BINARY_DIR`) into redistributables. Is used for bundling the OGS File Converter with the Data Explorer.
-- `OGS_USE_OPTIONAL_SUBMODULES` - Includes optional submodules into the build. The submodules have to be checked out before. Defaults to ON.
 - `OGS_CPU_ARCHITECTURE` - Optimizes for the given CPU architecture see [-march](https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc-4.5.3/gcc/i386-and-x86_002d64-Options.html)-flag. Defaults to `native`. For redistributable binaries set to `generic` on Linux and `core2` on Mac OS.
 - `CMAKE_LIBRARY_SEARCH_PATH` - Additional library installation path, e.g. `/opt/local` or `C:/libs`