diff --git a/tools/configure b/tools/configure
index a3f40b678c..5138f3d3d6 100755
--- a/tools/configure
+++ b/tools/configure
@@ -2403,7 +2403,7 @@ ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
 
 
 
-ac_config_files="$ac_config_files ../config/Tools.mk hotplug/FreeBSD/rc.d/xencommons hotplug/Linux/init.d/sysconfig.xencommons hotplug/Linux/init.d/xen-watchdog hotplug/Linux/init.d/xencommons hotplug/Linux/init.d/xendomains hotplug/Linux/vif-setup hotplug/Linux/xen-backend.rules hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh hotplug/Linux/xendomains hotplug/NetBSD/rc.d/xencommons libxl/xenlight.pc.in libxl/xlutil.pc.in"
+ac_config_files="$ac_config_files ../config/Tools.mk hotplug/FreeBSD/rc.d/xencommons hotplug/Linux/init.d/sysconfig.xencommons hotplug/Linux/init.d/xen-watchdog hotplug/Linux/init.d/xencommons hotplug/Linux/init.d/xendomains hotplug/Linux/vif-setup hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh hotplug/Linux/xendomains hotplug/NetBSD/rc.d/xencommons libxl/xenlight.pc.in libxl/xlutil.pc.in"
 
 ac_config_headers="$ac_config_headers config.h"
 
@@ -10050,7 +10050,6 @@ do
     "hotplug/Linux/init.d/xencommons") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES hotplug/Linux/init.d/xencommons" ;;
     "hotplug/Linux/init.d/xendomains") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES hotplug/Linux/init.d/xendomains" ;;
     "hotplug/Linux/vif-setup") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES hotplug/Linux/vif-setup" ;;
-    "hotplug/Linux/xen-backend.rules") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES hotplug/Linux/xen-backend.rules" ;;
     "hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh" ;;
     "hotplug/Linux/xendomains") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES hotplug/Linux/xendomains" ;;
     "hotplug/NetBSD/rc.d/xencommons") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES hotplug/NetBSD/rc.d/xencommons" ;;
diff --git a/tools/configure.ac b/tools/configure.ac
index 2d371f4ea5..8bfdfcb40b 100644
--- a/tools/configure.ac
+++ b/tools/configure.ac
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ hotplug/Linux/init.d/xen-watchdog
 hotplug/Linux/init.d/xencommons
 hotplug/Linux/init.d/xendomains
 hotplug/Linux/vif-setup
-hotplug/Linux/xen-backend.rules
 hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh
 hotplug/Linux/xendomains
 hotplug/NetBSD/rc.d/xencommons
diff --git a/tools/examples/README b/tools/examples/README
index 115ca02f17..13380a48eb 100644
--- a/tools/examples/README
+++ b/tools/examples/README
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ vif-nat             - xen virtual network start/stop script in NAT mode
 vif-route           - xen virtual network start/stop script in routed mode
 xen-backend.agent   - calls block, vif-* scripts to add, remove, hotplug
                       devices  
-xen-backend.rules   - hotplug script rules
 xen-hotplug-common.sh - sourced by vif-common.sh
 xen-network-common.sh - sourced by vif-common.sh
 xen-script-common.sh  - sourced by xen-hotplug-common.sh
diff --git a/tools/hotplug/Linux/Makefile b/tools/hotplug/Linux/Makefile
index d94a9cbac0..8bb23162db 100644
--- a/tools/hotplug/Linux/Makefile
+++ b/tools/hotplug/Linux/Makefile
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ XEN_SCRIPT_DATA = xen-script-common.sh locking.sh logging.sh
 XEN_SCRIPT_DATA += xen-hotplug-common.sh xen-network-common.sh vif-common.sh
 XEN_SCRIPT_DATA += block-common.sh
 
-UDEV_RULES_DIR = $(CONFIG_DIR)/udev
-UDEV_RULES = xen-backend.rules $(UDEV_RULES-y)
-
 .PHONY: all
 all: subdirs-all
 
@@ -42,7 +39,7 @@ all: subdirs-all
 build:
 
 .PHONY: install
-install: install-initd install-scripts install-udev subdirs-install
+install: install-initd install-scripts subdirs-install
 
 # See docs/misc/distro_mapping.txt for INITD_DIR location
 .PHONY: install-initd
@@ -70,15 +67,6 @@ install-scripts:
 	    $(INSTALL_DATA) $$i $(DESTDIR)$(XEN_SCRIPT_DIR); \
 	done
 
-.PHONY: install-udev
-install-udev:
-	[ -d $(DESTDIR)$(UDEV_RULES_DIR) ] || \
-		$(INSTALL_DIR) $(DESTDIR)$(UDEV_RULES_DIR)/rules.d
-	set -e; for i in $(UDEV_RULES); \
-	    do \
-	    $(INSTALL_DATA) $$i $(DESTDIR)$(UDEV_RULES_DIR)/rules.d; \
-	done
-
 .PHONY: clean
 clean: subdirs-clean
 
diff --git a/tools/hotplug/Linux/xen-backend.rules.in b/tools/hotplug/Linux/xen-backend.rules.in
deleted file mode 100644
index ee107af5af..0000000000
--- a/tools/hotplug/Linux/xen-backend.rules.in
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-SUBSYSTEM=="xen-backend", KERNEL=="vbd*", ENV{UDEV_CALL}="1", RUN+="@XEN_SCRIPT_DIR@/block $env{ACTION}"
-SUBSYSTEM=="xen-backend", KERNEL=="vif2-*", RUN+="@XEN_SCRIPT_DIR@/vif2 $env{ACTION}"
-SUBSYSTEM=="xen-backend", KERNEL=="vif-*", ENV{UDEV_CALL}="1", ACTION=="online", RUN+="@XEN_SCRIPT_DIR@/vif-setup online type_if=vif"
-SUBSYSTEM=="xen-backend", KERNEL=="vif-*", ENV{UDEV_CALL}="1", ACTION=="offline", RUN+="@XEN_SCRIPT_DIR@/vif-setup offline type_if=vif"
-SUBSYSTEM=="xen-backend", KERNEL=="vscsi*", RUN+="@XEN_SCRIPT_DIR@/vscsi $env{ACTION}"
-SUBSYSTEM=="xen-backend", ACTION=="remove", ENV{UDEV_CALL}="1", RUN+="@XEN_SCRIPT_DIR@/xen-hotplug-cleanup"
-KERNEL=="evtchn", NAME="xen/%k"
-SUBSYSTEM=="blktap2", KERNEL=="blktap[0-9]*", NAME="xen/blktap-2/%k", MODE="0600"
-KERNEL=="blktap-control", NAME="xen/blktap-2/control", MODE="0600"
-KERNEL=="gntdev", NAME="xen/%k", MODE="0600"
-KERNEL=="pci_iomul", NAME="xen/%k", MODE="0600"
-KERNEL=="tapdev[a-z]*", NAME="xen/blktap-2/tapdev%m", MODE="0600"
-SUBSYSTEM=="net", KERNEL=="vif*-emu", ACTION=="add", ENV{UDEV_CALL}="1", RUN+="@XEN_SCRIPT_DIR@/vif-setup $env{ACTION} type_if=tap"
diff --git a/tools/hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh.in b/tools/hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh.in
index 40b933e1ba..afb240ffcf 100644
--- a/tools/hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh.in
+++ b/tools/hotplug/Linux/xen-hotplug-common.sh.in
@@ -15,13 +15,6 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 #
 
-# Hack to prevent the execution of hotplug scripts from udev if the domain
-# has been launched from libxl
-if [ -n "${UDEV_CALL}" ] && \
-   xenstore-read "libxl/disable_udev" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    exit 0
-fi
-
 dir=$(dirname "$0")
 . "$dir/hotplugpath.sh"
 . "$dir/logging.sh"
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl.c b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
index 92563db33f..3a83903e3d 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
@@ -3211,7 +3211,6 @@ out:
 int libxl__device_nic_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_nic *nic,
                                  uint32_t domid)
 {
-    int run_hotplug_scripts;
     int rc;
 
     if (!nic->mtu)
@@ -3242,12 +3241,6 @@ int libxl__device_nic_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_nic *nic,
                                   libxl__xen_script_dir_path()) < 0 )
         return ERROR_FAIL;
 
-    run_hotplug_scripts = libxl__hotplug_settings(gc, XBT_NULL);
-    if (run_hotplug_scripts < 0) {
-        LOG(ERROR, "unable to get current hotplug scripts execution setting");
-        return run_hotplug_scripts;
-    }
-
     rc = libxl__resolve_domid(gc, nic->backend_domname, &nic->backend_domid);
     if (rc < 0) return rc;
 
@@ -4550,12 +4543,6 @@ int libxl_device_events_handler(libxl_ctx *ctx,
         goto out;
     }
 
-    rc = libxl__xs_write_checked(gc, XBT_NULL, DISABLE_UDEV_PATH, "1");
-    if (rc) {
-        LOGE(ERROR, "unable to write %s = 1", DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
-        goto out;
-    }
-
     /*
      * We use absolute paths because we want xswatch to also return
      * absolute paths that can be parsed by libxl__parse_backend_path.
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
index f7990811e7..9c2303c3dc 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
@@ -682,33 +682,6 @@ retry_transaction:
         goto out;
     }
     libxl_vminfo_list_free(vm_list, nb_vm);
-    int hotplug_setting = libxl__hotplug_settings(gc, t);
-    if (hotplug_setting < 0) {
-        LOG(ERROR, "unable to get current hotplug scripts execution setting");
-        rc = ERROR_FAIL;
-        goto out;
-    }
-    if (libxl_defbool_val(info->run_hotplug_scripts) != hotplug_setting &&
-        (nb_vm - 1)) {
-        LOG(ERROR, "cannot change hotplug execution option once set, "
-                    "please shutdown all guests before changing it");
-        rc = ERROR_FAIL;
-        goto out;
-    }
-
-    if (libxl_defbool_val(info->run_hotplug_scripts)) {
-        rc = libxl__xs_write_checked(gc, t, DISABLE_UDEV_PATH, "1");
-        if (rc) {
-            LOGE(ERROR, "unable to write %s = 1", DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
-            goto out;
-        }
-    } else {
-        rc = libxl__xs_rm_checked(gc, t, DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
-        if (rc) {
-            LOGE(ERROR, "unable to delete %s", DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
-            goto out;
-        }
-    }
 
     xs_write(ctx->xsh, t, libxl__sprintf(gc, "%s/uuid", vm_path), uuid_string, strlen(uuid_string));
     xs_write(ctx->xsh, t, libxl__sprintf(gc, "%s/name", vm_path), info->name, strlen(info->name));
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
index c2c67bdb6f..42d548eb54 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
@@ -376,25 +376,6 @@ int libxl__device_model_version_running(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid)
     return value;
 }
 
-int libxl__hotplug_settings(libxl__gc *gc, xs_transaction_t t)
-{
-    int rc = 0;
-    char *val;
-
-    val = libxl__xs_read(gc, t, DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
-    if (!val && errno != ENOENT) {
-        LOGE(ERROR, "cannot read %s from xenstore", DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
-        rc = ERROR_FAIL;
-        goto out;
-    }
-    if (!val) val = "0";
-
-    rc = !!atoi(val);
-
-out:
-    return rc;
-}
-
 /* Portability note: this lock utilises flock(2) so a proper implementation of
  * flock(2) is required.
  */
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
index d52589ee85..7129aeeb8f 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@
 #define STUBDOM_CONSOLE_SERIAL 3
 #define STUBDOM_SPECIAL_CONSOLES 3
 #define TAP_DEVICE_SUFFIX "-emu"
-#define DISABLE_UDEV_PATH "libxl/disable_udev"
 #define DOMID_XS_PATH "domid"
 
 #define ARRAY_SIZE(a) (sizeof(a) / sizeof(a[0]))
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_linux.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_linux.c
index f42a89a08d..512d2c9ddc 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_linux.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_linux.c
@@ -236,15 +236,8 @@ int libxl__get_hotplug_script_info(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__device *dev,
                                    libxl__device_action action,
                                    int num_exec)
 {
-    char *disable_udev = libxl__xs_read(gc, XBT_NULL, DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
     int rc;
 
-    /* Check if we have to run hotplug scripts */
-    if (!disable_udev) {
-        rc = 0;
-        goto out;
-    }
-
     switch (dev->backend_kind) {
     case LIBXL__DEVICE_KIND_VBD:
         if (num_exec != 0) {
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_netbsd.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_netbsd.c
index a2a962ed2b..096c0578fc 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_netbsd.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_netbsd.c
@@ -64,15 +64,8 @@ int libxl__get_hotplug_script_info(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__device *dev,
                                    libxl__device_action action,
                                    int num_exec)
 {
-    char *disable_udev = libxl__xs_read(gc, XBT_NULL, DISABLE_UDEV_PATH);
     int rc;
 
-    /* Check if we have to run hotplug scripts */
-    if (!disable_udev || num_exec > 0) {
-        rc = 0;
-        goto out;
-    }
-
     switch (dev->backend_kind) {
     case LIBXL__DEVICE_KIND_VBD:
     case LIBXL__DEVICE_KIND_VIF: