diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b2c45d97..270fc5e8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -148,8 +148,6 @@ AC_CHECK_DECLS([bsd_signal], [], [], [[#define _GNU_SOURCE 1
 
 AC_FUNC_FORK
 
-AC_FUNC_SETVBUF_REVERSED
-
 # Rumor has it that strcasecmp lives in -lresolv on some odd systems.
 # It doesn't hurt much to use our own if we can't find it so I don't
 # make the effort here.
diff --git a/src/config.ami.template b/src/config.ami.template
index e3025261..e74ef85d 100644
--- a/src/config.ami.template
+++ b/src/config.ami.template
@@ -131,11 +131,6 @@ this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
 /* Define if you need to in order for stat and other things to work.  */
 /* #undef _POSIX_SOURCE */
 
-/* Define if the setvbuf function takes the buffering type as its second
-   argument and the buffer pointer as the third, as on System V
-   before release 3.  */
-/* #undef SETVBUF_REVERSED */
-
 /* If using the C implementation of alloca, define if you know the
    direction of stack growth for your system; otherwise it will be
    automatically deduced at run-time.
diff --git a/src/config.h-vms.template b/src/config.h-vms.template
index f4fd9296..fce62aab 100644
--- a/src/config.h-vms.template
+++ b/src/config.h-vms.template
@@ -169,11 +169,6 @@ this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
 /* Define to 1 if you need to in order for stat and other things to work.  */
 /* #undef _POSIX_SOURCE */
 
-/* Define to 1 if the setvbuf function takes the buffering type as its second
-   argument and the buffer pointer as the third, as on System V
-   before release 3.  */
-/* #undef SETVBUF_REVERSED */
-
 /* If using the C implementation of alloca, define if you know the
    direction of stack growth for your system; otherwise it will be
    automatically deduced at run-time.
diff --git a/src/config.h.W32.template b/src/config.h.W32.template
index d47d1efb..4fb2aa05 100644
--- a/src/config.h.W32.template
+++ b/src/config.h.W32.template
@@ -406,11 +406,6 @@ char *ttyname (int);
 /* Define this if the SCCS 'get' command understands the '-G<file>' option. */
 /* #undef SCCS_GET_MINUS_G */
 
-/* Define to 1 if the 'setvbuf' function takes the buffering type as its
-   second argument and the buffer pointer as the third, as on System V before
-   release 3. */
-/* #undef SETVBUF_REVERSED */
-
 /* If using the C implementation of alloca, define if you know the
    direction of stack growth for your system; otherwise it will be
    automatically deduced at run time.
diff --git a/src/output.c b/src/output.c
index 4827c14d..dccbff26 100644
--- a/src/output.c
+++ b/src/output.c
@@ -464,12 +464,7 @@ output_init (struct output *out)
   /* Configure this instance of make.  Be sure stdout is line-buffered.  */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SETVBUF
-# ifdef SETVBUF_REVERSED
-  setvbuf (stdout, _IOLBF, xmalloc (BUFSIZ), BUFSIZ);
-# else  /* setvbuf not reversed.  */
-  /* Some buggy systems lose if we pass 0 instead of allocating ourselves.  */
   setvbuf (stdout, 0, _IOLBF, BUFSIZ);
-# endif /* setvbuf reversed.  */
 #elif HAVE_SETLINEBUF
   setlinebuf (stdout);
 #endif  /* setlinebuf missing.  */