diff --git a/hw/boards.h b/hw/boards.h
index 1e625942f8..1e18ba6009 100644
--- a/hw/boards.h
+++ b/hw/boards.h
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ typedef struct QEMUMachine {
     QEMUMachineInitFunc *init;
 #define RAMSIZE_FIXED	(1 << 0)
     ram_addr_t ram_require;
-    int nodisk_ok;
     int use_scsi;
     int max_cpus;
     struct QEMUMachine *next;
diff --git a/hw/mips_jazz.c b/hw/mips_jazz.c
index 9bdb903ee9..74755178ba 100644
--- a/hw/mips_jazz.c
+++ b/hw/mips_jazz.c
@@ -294,7 +294,6 @@ QEMUMachine mips_magnum_machine = {
     .desc = "MIPS Magnum",
     .init = mips_magnum_init,
     .ram_require = MAGNUM_BIOS_SIZE + VGA_RAM_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
 
@@ -303,6 +302,5 @@ QEMUMachine mips_pica61_machine = {
     .desc = "Acer Pica 61",
     .init = mips_pica61_init,
     .ram_require = MAGNUM_BIOS_SIZE + VGA_RAM_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
diff --git a/hw/mips_malta.c b/hw/mips_malta.c
index af1abb85ad..2aba5cb888 100644
--- a/hw/mips_malta.c
+++ b/hw/mips_malta.c
@@ -958,5 +958,4 @@ QEMUMachine mips_malta_machine = {
     .desc = "MIPS Malta Core LV",
     .init = mips_malta_init,
     .ram_require = VGA_RAM_SIZE + BIOS_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
 };
diff --git a/hw/mips_mipssim.c b/hw/mips_mipssim.c
index 3f5490069b..5fb58e4184 100644
--- a/hw/mips_mipssim.c
+++ b/hw/mips_mipssim.c
@@ -185,5 +185,4 @@ QEMUMachine mips_mipssim_machine = {
     .desc = "MIPS MIPSsim platform",
     .init = mips_mipssim_init,
     .ram_require = BIOS_SIZE + VGA_RAM_SIZE /* unused */,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
 };
diff --git a/hw/mips_r4k.c b/hw/mips_r4k.c
index ab0c110f09..e6697e94e4 100644
--- a/hw/mips_r4k.c
+++ b/hw/mips_r4k.c
@@ -282,5 +282,4 @@ QEMUMachine mips_machine = {
     .desc = "mips r4k platform",
     .init = mips_r4k_init,
     .ram_require = VGA_RAM_SIZE + BIOS_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
 };
diff --git a/hw/sun4m.c b/hw/sun4m.c
index 681d9736e0..9b3bab1de7 100644
--- a/hw/sun4m.c
+++ b/hw/sun4m.c
@@ -1030,7 +1030,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss5_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCstation 5",
     .init = ss5_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
 
@@ -1039,7 +1038,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss10_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCstation 10",
     .init = ss10_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
     .max_cpus = 4,
 };
@@ -1049,7 +1047,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss600mp_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCserver 600MP",
     .init = ss600mp_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
     .max_cpus = 4,
 };
@@ -1059,7 +1056,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss20_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCstation 20",
     .init = ss20_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
     .max_cpus = 4,
 };
@@ -1069,7 +1065,6 @@ QEMUMachine voyager_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCstation Voyager",
     .init = vger_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
 
@@ -1078,7 +1073,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss_lx_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCstation LX",
     .init = ss_lx_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
 
@@ -1087,7 +1081,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss4_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCstation 4",
     .init = ss4_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
 
@@ -1096,7 +1089,6 @@ QEMUMachine scls_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCClassic",
     .init = scls_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
 
@@ -1105,7 +1097,6 @@ QEMUMachine sbook_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4m platform, SPARCbook",
     .init = sbook_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
 
@@ -1360,7 +1351,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss1000_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4d platform, SPARCserver 1000",
     .init = ss1000_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
     .max_cpus = 8,
 };
@@ -1370,7 +1360,6 @@ QEMUMachine ss2000_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4d platform, SPARCcenter 2000",
     .init = ss2000_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
     .max_cpus = 20,
 };
@@ -1581,6 +1570,5 @@ QEMUMachine ss2_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4c platform, SPARCstation 2",
     .init = ss2_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + TCX_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .use_scsi = 1,
 };
diff --git a/hw/sun4u.c b/hw/sun4u.c
index a8c4347e12..a72dea8378 100644
--- a/hw/sun4u.c
+++ b/hw/sun4u.c
@@ -597,7 +597,6 @@ QEMUMachine sun4u_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4u platform",
     .init = sun4u_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + VGA_RAM_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .max_cpus = 1, // XXX for now
 };
 
@@ -606,7 +605,6 @@ QEMUMachine sun4v_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4v platform",
     .init = sun4v_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + VGA_RAM_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .max_cpus = 1, // XXX for now
 };
 
@@ -615,6 +613,5 @@ QEMUMachine niagara_machine = {
     .desc = "Sun4v platform, Niagara",
     .init = niagara_init,
     .ram_require = PROM_SIZE_MAX + VGA_RAM_SIZE,
-    .nodisk_ok = 1,
     .max_cpus = 1, // XXX for now
 };
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 3828bfd7ae..5e6c621f2d 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -5033,10 +5033,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     linux_boot = (kernel_filename != NULL);
     net_boot = (boot_devices_bitmap >> ('n' - 'a')) & 0xF;
 
-    if (!linux_boot && net_boot == 0 &&
-        !machine->nodisk_ok && nb_drives_opt == 0)
-        help(1);
-
     if (!linux_boot && *kernel_cmdline != '\0') {
         fprintf(stderr, "-append only allowed with -kernel option\n");
         exit(1);