diff --git a/cmake/HPX_PerformCxxFeatureTests.cmake b/cmake/HPX_PerformCxxFeatureTests.cmake
index df420e86b63c..7f31429de163 100644
--- a/cmake/HPX_PerformCxxFeatureTests.cmake
+++ b/cmake/HPX_PerformCxxFeatureTests.cmake
@@ -180,12 +180,6 @@ macro(hpx_perform_cxx_feature_tests)
       DEFINITIONS HPX_HAVE_CXX14_DEPRECATED_ATTRIBUTE)
 
     hpx_check_for_cxx14_return_type_deduction()
-
-    # check for experimental facilities
-
-    # check for Library Fundamentals TS v2's experimental/optional
-    hpx_check_for_libfun_std_experimental_optional(
-      DEFINITIONS HPX_HAVE_LIBFUN_STD_EXPERIMENTAL_OPTIONAL)
   endif()
 
   if(HPX_WITH_CXX1Z OR HPX_WITH_CXX17)
diff --git a/cmake/tests/libfun_std_experimental_optional.cpp b/cmake/tests/libfun_std_experimental_optional.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index b9fcde2f5625..000000000000
--- a/cmake/tests/libfun_std_experimental_optional.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-//  Copyright (c) 2016 Hartmut Kaiser
-//
-//  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
-//  file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
-
-#include <experimental/optional>
-
-int main()
-{
-    std::experimental::optional<int> opt;
-}
diff --git a/hpx/parallel/executors/execution.hpp b/hpx/parallel/executors/execution.hpp
index 49a24e9327bb..94c334d4d1ae 100644
--- a/hpx/parallel/executors/execution.hpp
+++ b/hpx/parallel/executors/execution.hpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <hpx/util/deferred_call.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/detail/pack.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/invoke.hpp>
+#include <hpx/util/optional.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/range.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/tuple.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/unwrap.hpp>
@@ -38,12 +39,6 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
-#if defined(HPX_HAVE_CXX1Y_EXPERIMENTAL_OPTIONAL)
-#include <experimental/optional>
-#else
-#include <boost/optional.hpp>
-#endif
-
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 namespace hpx { namespace parallel { namespace execution
 {
@@ -319,11 +314,7 @@ namespace hpx { namespace parallel { namespace execution
                     auto && args =
                         hpx::util::forward_as_tuple(std::forward<Ts>(ts)...);
 
-#if defined(HPX_HAVE_CXX1Y_EXPERIMENTAL_OPTIONAL)
-                    std::experimental::optional<result_type> out;
-#else
-                    boost::optional<result_type> out;
-#endif
+                    hpx::util::optional<result_type> out;
                     auto && wrapper =
                         [&]() mutable
                         {
diff --git a/hpx/parallel/executors/v1/executor_traits.hpp b/hpx/parallel/executors/v1/executor_traits.hpp
index 587186b03651..138f2bfb44e9 100644
--- a/hpx/parallel/executors/v1/executor_traits.hpp
+++ b/hpx/parallel/executors/v1/executor_traits.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <hpx/util/decay.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/deferred_call.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/invoke.hpp>
+#include <hpx/util/optional.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/range.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/unwrap.hpp>
 
@@ -33,12 +34,6 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
-#if defined(HPX_HAVE_LIBFUN_STD_EXPERIMENTAL_OPTIONAL)
-#include <experimental/optional>
-#else
-#include <boost/optional.hpp>
-#endif
-
 namespace hpx { namespace parallel { inline namespace v3
 {
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -128,11 +123,7 @@ namespace hpx { namespace parallel { inline namespace v3
                     auto && args =
                         hpx::util::forward_as_tuple(std::forward<Ts>(ts)...);
 
-#if defined(HPX_HAVE_LIBFUN_STD_EXPERIMENTAL_OPTIONAL)
-                    std::experimental::optional<result_type> out;
-#else
-                    boost::optional<result_type> out;
-#endif
+                    hpx::util::optional<result_type> out;
                     auto && wrapper =
                         [&]() mutable
                         {
diff --git a/hpx/runtime/threads/run_as_hpx_thread.hpp b/hpx/runtime/threads/run_as_hpx_thread.hpp
index 037aaa8f8bf1..a235a2a61543 100644
--- a/hpx/runtime/threads/run_as_hpx_thread.hpp
+++ b/hpx/runtime/threads/run_as_hpx_thread.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <hpx/runtime/threads/thread_helpers.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/assert.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/invoke_fused.hpp>
+#include <hpx/util/optional.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/result_of.hpp>
 #include <hpx/util/tuple.hpp>
 
@@ -23,12 +24,6 @@
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 
-#if defined(HPX_HAVE_LIBFUN_STD_EXPERIMENTAL_OPTIONAL)
-#include <experimental/optional>
-#else
-#include <boost/optional.hpp>
-#endif
-
 namespace hpx { namespace threads
 {
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -48,11 +43,7 @@ namespace hpx { namespace threads
             // Using the optional for storing the returned result value
             // allows to support non-default-constructible and move-only
             // types.
-#if defined(HPX_HAVE_LIBFUN_STD_EXPERIMENTAL_OPTIONAL)
-            std::experimental::optional<result_type> result;
-#else
-            boost::optional<result_type> result;
-#endif
+            hpx::util::optional<result_type> result;
 
             // This lambda function will be scheduled to run as an HPX
             // thread