diff --git a/boot b/boot
index 872eeb01f6521805ec9606e56bd61593224a2ef1..bd6a5debb98bab4dfa1d4355787ccc12bb72aa9f 100755
--- a/boot
+++ b/boot
@@ -4,19 +4,11 @@ import glob
 import os
 import os.path
 import sys
-import argparse
 from textwrap import dedent
 import subprocess
 import re
 import shutil
 
-cwd = os.getcwd()
-
-parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-parser.add_argument('--validate', action='store_true', help='Run in validate mode')
-parser.add_argument('--hadrian', action='store_true', help='Do not assume the make base build system')
-args = parser.parse_args()
-
 # Packages whose libraries aren't in the submodule root
 EXCEPTIONS = {
     'libraries/containers/': 'libraries/containers/containers/'
diff --git a/validate b/validate
index 20611cad03c832f29a4c79a7394e061d64914805..223a864e76c6d4fff655edb5ac0704c8a98cea23 100755
--- a/validate
+++ b/validate
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ if [ $build_only -eq 1 ] ||
 
     if [ $no_clean -eq 0 ]; then
         $hadrian clean && rm -rf $hadrian_build_root
-        python3 ./boot --validate
+        python3 ./boot
         $configure_cmd --enable-tarballs-autodownload $CONFIG_ARGS
     fi