diff --git a/config/kernel-timer.m4 b/config/kernel-timer.m4
index c710e804be0b..94c2c443f195 100644
--- a/config/kernel-timer.m4
+++ b/config/kernel-timer.m4
@@ -36,13 +36,6 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_KERNEL_SRC_TIMER_SETUP], [
 		struct timer_list tl;
 		tl.function = task_expire;
 	])
-
-	ZFS_LINUX_TEST_SRC([timer_list_flags], [
-		#include <linux/timer.h>
-	],[
-		struct timer_list tl;
-		tl.flags = 2;
-	])
 ])
 
 AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_KERNEL_TIMER_SETUP], [
@@ -63,13 +56,4 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_KERNEL_TIMER_SETUP], [
 	],[
 		AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
 	])
-
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether struct timer_list has flags])
-	ZFS_LINUX_TEST_RESULT([timer_list_flags], [
-		AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-		AC_DEFINE(HAVE_KERNEL_TIMER_LIST_FLAGS, 1,
-		    [struct timer_list has a flags member])
-	],[
-		AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-	])
 ])
diff --git a/include/os/linux/spl/sys/timer.h b/include/os/linux/spl/sys/timer.h
index 02c3c7893477..bcc58dbd8ea2 100644
--- a/include/os/linux/spl/sys/timer.h
+++ b/include/os/linux/spl/sys/timer.h
@@ -73,9 +73,7 @@ typedef unsigned long spl_timer_list_t;
 static inline void
 timer_setup(struct timer_list *timer, void (*func)(spl_timer_list_t), u32 fl)
 {
-#ifdef HAVE_KERNEL_TIMER_LIST_FLAGS
 	(timer)->flags = fl;
-#endif
 	init_timer(timer);
 	setup_timer(timer, func, (spl_timer_list_t)(timer));
 }