diff --git a/dix/globals.c b/dix/globals.c
index aa15de962..0df3fbe50 100644
--- a/dix/globals.c
+++ b/dix/globals.c
@@ -100,8 +100,7 @@ CARD32 defaultDPMSSuspendTime = DEFAULT_SCREEN_SAVER_TIME;
 CARD32 defaultDPMSOffTime = DEFAULT_SCREEN_SAVER_TIME;
 CARD16 DPMSPowerLevel = 0;
 Bool defaultDPMSEnabled = TRUE;
-Bool DPMSEnabledSwitch = FALSE;  /* these denote the DPMS command */
-Bool DPMSDisabledSwitch = FALSE; /* line switch states */
+Bool DPMSDisabledSwitch = FALSE;
 Bool DPMSCapableFlag = FALSE;
 CARD32 DPMSStandbyTime;
 CARD32 DPMSSuspendTime;
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86DPMS.c b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86DPMS.c
index 1687f2cb5..46d105ce5 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86DPMS.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86DPMS.c
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ xf86DPMSInit(ScreenPtr pScreen, DPMSSetProcPtr set, int flags)
 
     DPMSKey = &DPMSKeyIndex;
 
-    if (DPMSDisabledSwitch)
-	DPMSEnabled = FALSE;
     if (!dixSetPrivate(&pScreen->devPrivates, DPMSKey,
 		       xcalloc(sizeof(DPMSRec), 1)))
 	return FALSE;
@@ -74,9 +72,9 @@ xf86DPMSInit(ScreenPtr pScreen, DPMSSetProcPtr set, int flags)
     pScrn->DPMSSet = set;
     pDPMS->Flags = flags;
     DPMSOpt = xf86FindOption(pScrn->options, "dpms");
-    if (DPMSEnabledSwitch || DPMSDisabledSwitch) {
+    if (DPMSDisabledSwitch) {
 	enabled_from = X_CMDLINE;
-	DPMSEnabled = !DPMSDisabledSwitch && DPMSEnabledSwitch;
+	DPMSEnabled = FALSE;
     }
     else if (DPMSOpt) {
 	enabled_from = X_CONFIG;
diff --git a/include/globals.h b/include/globals.h
index 90cfa7148..79c959a57 100644
--- a/include/globals.h
+++ b/include/globals.h
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ extern CARD32 DPMSOffTime;
 extern CARD16 DPMSPowerLevel;
 extern Bool defaultDPMSEnabled;
 extern Bool DPMSEnabled;
-extern Bool DPMSEnabledSwitch;
 extern Bool DPMSDisabledSwitch;
 extern Bool DPMSCapableFlag;
 #endif
diff --git a/os/utils.c b/os/utils.c
index 56095b128..d05c437dd 100644
--- a/os/utils.c
+++ b/os/utils.c
@@ -487,7 +487,6 @@ void UseMsg(void)
     ErrorF("-core                  generate core dump on fatal error\n");
     ErrorF("-dpi int               screen resolution in dots per inch\n");
 #ifdef DPMSExtension
-    ErrorF("dpms                   enables VESA DPMS monitor control\n");
     ErrorF("-dpms                  disables VESA DPMS monitor control\n");
 #endif
     ErrorF("-deferglyphs [none|all|16] defer loading of [no|all|16-bit] glyphs\n");
@@ -673,7 +672,7 @@ ProcessCommandLine(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 #ifdef DPMSExtension
 	else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "dpms") == 0)
-	    DPMSEnabledSwitch = TRUE;
+	    /* ignored for compatibility */ ;
 	else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "-dpms") == 0)
 	    DPMSDisabledSwitch = TRUE;
 #endif