diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 50dadd24481755ec5aa35ceddf39f80dd89f0372..37d3ae3a470460fbd26ceee2b48203f03887358a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ if((CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX OR CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCC) AND GPROF_PATH)
 endif() # GCC AND GPROF_PATH
 
 option(OGS_BUILD_GUI "Should the Data Explorer be built?" OFF)
-option(OGS_NO_EXTERNAL_LIBS "Builds OGS without any external dependencies." OFF)
 option(OGS_INSITU "Builds OGS with insitu visualization capabilities." OFF)
 option(OGS_USE_LIS "Use Lis" OFF)
 option(OGS_USE_PETSC "Use PETSc routines" OFF)
diff --git a/scripts/cmake/Find.cmake b/scripts/cmake/Find.cmake
index fac0eeacbfdd36948ab4db916b0bf0cd990c4596..25387f83a50de19fe7a442442e99cb717aecadc8 100644
--- a/scripts/cmake/Find.cmake
+++ b/scripts/cmake/Find.cmake
@@ -72,11 +72,6 @@ if(OGS_USE_MFRONT)
     endif()
 endif()
 
-# Do not search for libs if this option is set
-if(OGS_NO_EXTERNAL_LIBS)
-    return()
-endif() # OGS_NO_EXTERNAL_LIBS
-
 find_package(OpenMP)
 if(OPENMP_FOUND)
     set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} ${OpenMP_C_FLAGS}")
diff --git a/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md b/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md
index 317a5fb1cdfb46b368cb11cc7899df88b3f9065f..72aeb6dc3e11ab5c4ea1aa21cccf91843cc48122 100644
--- a/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md
+++ b/web/content/docs/devguide/advanced/configuration-options.md
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ CMake switches to enable / disable parts of OGS.
 - `OGS_BUILD_GUI` - Builds the Data Explorer. *Defaults* to *OFF*.
 - `OGS_BUILD_TESTING` - Builds the test executables. *Defaults* to *ON*.
 - `OGS_BUILD_UTILS` - Builds several utilities.
-- `OGS_NO_EXTERNAL_LIBS` - Disables all external optional dependencies.
 - `OGS_BUILD_PROCESS_X` - For enabling/disabling compilation of process `X`.
   Run the CMake-Gui to see a list of processes.
 - `OGS_BUILD_PROCESSES` - A `;`-separated list specifying processes to build. *Defaults* to an *empty string*. This will alter the `OGS_BUILD_PROCESS_X`-options. For e.g. building just the two processes `HT` and `LIE`: `-DOGS_BUILD_PROCESSES="HT;LIE"`. Setting this variable back to an empty string **does not reset** the `OGS_BUILD_PROCESS_X`-options. You can also set it to *OFF* to disable all processes.