diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f67744f0f..e1f30ca47 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -188,7 +188,6 @@ ## Video Format Options:
     -f, --format FORMAT              Video format code, see the "FORMAT SELECTION" for all the info
     --all-formats                    Download all available video formats
     --prefer-free-formats            Prefer free video formats unless a specific one is requested
-    --max-quality FORMAT             Highest quality format to download
     -F, --list-formats               List all available formats
     --youtube-skip-dash-manifest     Do not download the DASH manifest on YouTube videos
     --merge-output-format FORMAT     If a merge is required (e.g. bestvideo+bestaudio), output to given container format. One of mkv, mp4, ogg, webm, flv.Ignored if no
@@ -324,9 +323,9 @@ ### I'm getting an error `Unable to extract OpenGraph title` on YouTube playlist
 
 If you have installed youtube-dl with a package manager, pip, setup.py or a tarball, please use that to update. Note that Ubuntu packages do not seem to get updated anymore. Since we are not affiliated with Ubuntu, there is little we can do. Feel free to [report bugs](https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/youtube-dl/+filebug) to the [Ubuntu packaging guys](mailto:ubuntu-motu@lists.ubuntu.com?subject=outdated%20version%20of%20youtube-dl) - all they have to do is update the package to a somewhat recent version. See above for a way to update.
 
-### Do I always have to pass in `--max-quality FORMAT`, or `-citw`?
+### Do I always have to pass `-citw`?
 
-By default, youtube-dl intends to have the best options (incidentally, if you have a convincing case that these should be different, [please file an issue where you explain that](https://yt-dl.org/bug)). Therefore, it is unnecessary and sometimes harmful to copy long option strings from webpages. In particular, `--max-quality` *limits* the video quality (so if you want the best quality, do NOT pass it in), and the only option out of `-citw` that is regularly useful is `-i`.
+By default, youtube-dl intends to have the best options (incidentally, if you have a convincing case that these should be different, [please file an issue where you explain that](https://yt-dl.org/bug)). Therefore, it is unnecessary and sometimes harmful to copy long option strings from webpages. In particular, the only option out of `-citw` that is regularly useful is `-i`.
 
 ### Can you please put the -b option back?
 
diff --git a/test/parameters.json b/test/parameters.json
index 48b5a062e..7bf59c25f 100644
--- a/test/parameters.json
+++ b/test/parameters.json
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
     "forcetitle": false, 
     "forceurl": false, 
     "format": "best",
-    "format_limit": null, 
     "ignoreerrors": false, 
     "listformats": null, 
     "logtostderr": false, 
diff --git a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
index 820e55ec2..bb4a65ee1 100644
--- a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
@@ -101,39 +101,6 @@ def test_prefer_free_formats(self):
         downloaded = ydl.downloaded_info_dicts[0]
         self.assertEqual(downloaded['ext'], 'flv')
 
-    def test_format_limit(self):
-        formats = [
-            {'format_id': 'meh', 'url': 'http://example.com/meh', 'preference': 1},
-            {'format_id': 'good', 'url': 'http://example.com/good', 'preference': 2},
-            {'format_id': 'great', 'url': 'http://example.com/great', 'preference': 3},
-            {'format_id': 'excellent', 'url': 'http://example.com/exc', 'preference': 4},
-        ]
-        info_dict = _make_result(formats)
-
-        ydl = YDL()
-        ydl.process_ie_result(info_dict)
-        downloaded = ydl.downloaded_info_dicts[0]
-        self.assertEqual(downloaded['format_id'], 'excellent')
-
-        ydl = YDL({'format_limit': 'good'})
-        assert ydl.params['format_limit'] == 'good'
-        ydl.process_ie_result(info_dict.copy())
-        downloaded = ydl.downloaded_info_dicts[0]
-        self.assertEqual(downloaded['format_id'], 'good')
-
-        ydl = YDL({'format_limit': 'great', 'format': 'all'})
-        ydl.process_ie_result(info_dict.copy())
-        self.assertEqual(ydl.downloaded_info_dicts[0]['format_id'], 'meh')
-        self.assertEqual(ydl.downloaded_info_dicts[1]['format_id'], 'good')
-        self.assertEqual(ydl.downloaded_info_dicts[2]['format_id'], 'great')
-        self.assertTrue('3' in ydl.msgs[0])
-
-        ydl = YDL()
-        ydl.params['format_limit'] = 'excellent'
-        ydl.process_ie_result(info_dict.copy())
-        downloaded = ydl.downloaded_info_dicts[0]
-        self.assertEqual(downloaded['format_id'], 'excellent')
-
     def test_format_selection(self):
         formats = [
             {'format_id': '35', 'ext': 'mp4', 'preference': 1, 'url': TEST_URL},
diff --git a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
index 0fdcf1b0b..977141881 100755
--- a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@
     sanitize_path,
     std_headers,
     subtitles_filename,
-    takewhile_inclusive,
     UnavailableVideoError,
     url_basename,
     version_tuple,
@@ -135,7 +134,6 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
                        (or video) as a single JSON line.
     simulate:          Do not download the video files.
     format:            Video format code. See options.py for more information.
-    format_limit:      Highest quality format to try.
     outtmpl:           Template for output names.
     restrictfilenames: Do not allow "&" and spaces in file names
     ignoreerrors:      Do not stop on download errors.
@@ -1068,12 +1066,6 @@ def process_video_result(self, info_dict, download=True):
             full_format_info.update(format)
             format['http_headers'] = self._calc_headers(full_format_info)
 
-        format_limit = self.params.get('format_limit', None)
-        if format_limit:
-            formats = list(takewhile_inclusive(
-                lambda f: f['format_id'] != format_limit, formats
-            ))
-
         # TODO Central sorting goes here
 
         if formats[0] is not info_dict:
diff --git a/youtube_dl/__init__.py b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
index d7759db68..c88489f29 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
@@ -283,7 +283,6 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
         'simulate': opts.simulate or any_getting,
         'skip_download': opts.skip_download,
         'format': opts.format,
-        'format_limit': opts.format_limit,
         'listformats': opts.listformats,
         'outtmpl': outtmpl,
         'autonumber_size': opts.autonumber_size,
diff --git a/youtube_dl/options.py b/youtube_dl/options.py
index 39c38c980..4c9d39d9a 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/options.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/options.py
@@ -331,10 +331,6 @@ def _hide_login_info(opts):
         '--prefer-free-formats',
         action='store_true', dest='prefer_free_formats', default=False,
         help='Prefer free video formats unless a specific one is requested')
-    video_format.add_option(
-        '--max-quality',
-        action='store', dest='format_limit', metavar='FORMAT',
-        help='Highest quality format to download')
     video_format.add_option(
         '-F', '--list-formats',
         action='store_true', dest='listformats',
diff --git a/youtube_dl/utils.py b/youtube_dl/utils.py
index 7de7742e3..7d15eab64 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/utils.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/utils.py
@@ -1128,15 +1128,6 @@ def shell_quote(args):
     return ' '.join(quoted_args)
 
 
-def takewhile_inclusive(pred, seq):
-    """ Like itertools.takewhile, but include the latest evaluated element
-        (the first element so that Not pred(e)) """
-    for e in seq:
-        yield e
-        if not pred(e):
-            return
-
-
 def smuggle_url(url, data):
     """ Pass additional data in a URL for internal use. """