diff --git a/DOCS/interface-changes.rst b/DOCS/interface-changes.rst
index d8c4900c21bc..656a5d204f90 100644
--- a/DOCS/interface-changes.rst
+++ b/DOCS/interface-changes.rst
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ Interface changes
 
 ::
 
+ --- mpv 0.28.0 ---
+    - drop previously deprecated --heartbeat-cmd and --heartbeat--interval
+      options
  --- mpv 0.27.0 ---
     - drop previously deprecated --field-dominance option
     - drop previously deprecated "osd" command
diff --git a/DOCS/man/options.rst b/DOCS/man/options.rst
index ce14d3e92a3d..fa2f6761905f 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/options.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/options.rst
@@ -2412,50 +2412,6 @@ Window
     there is a change in video parameters, video stream or file. This used to
     be the default behavior. Currently only affects X11 VOs.
 
-``--heartbeat-cmd=<command>``
-
-    .. warning::
-
-        This option is redundant with Lua scripting. Further, it shouldn't be
-        needed for disabling screensaver anyway, since mpv will call
-        ``xdg-screensaver`` when using X11 backend. As a consequence this
-        option has been deprecated with no direct replacement.
-
-    Command that is executed every 30 seconds during playback via *system()* -
-    i.e. using the shell. The time between the commands can be customized with
-    the ``--heartbeat-interval`` option. The command is not run while playback
-    is paused.
-
-    .. note::
-
-        mpv uses this command without any checking. It is your responsibility to
-        ensure it does not cause security problems (e.g. make sure to use full
-        paths if "." is in your path like on Windows). It also only works when
-        playing video (i.e. not with ``--no-video`` but works with
-        ``--vo=null``).
-
-    This can be "misused" to disable screensavers that do not support the
-    proper X API (see also ``--stop-screensaver``). If you think this is too
-    complicated, ask the author of the screensaver program to support the
-    proper X APIs. Note that the ``--stop-screensaver`` does not influence the
-    heartbeat code at all.
-
-    .. admonition:: Example for xscreensaver
-
-        ``mpv --heartbeat-cmd="xscreensaver-command -deactivate" file``
-
-    .. admonition:: Example for GNOME screensaver
-
-        ``mpv --heartbeat-cmd="gnome-screensaver-command --deactivate" file``
-
-
-``--heartbeat-interval=<sec>``
-    Time between ``--heartbeat-cmd`` invocations in seconds (default: 30).
-
-    .. note::
-
-        This does not affect the normal screensaver operation in any way.
-
 ``--no-keepaspect``, ``--keepaspect``
     ``--no-keepaspect`` will always stretch the video to window size, and will
     disable the window manager hints that force the window aspect ratio.
diff --git a/options/options.c b/options/options.c
index e7473880883d..9c435edb1582 100644
--- a/options/options.c
+++ b/options/options.c
@@ -565,10 +565,6 @@ const m_option_t mp_opts[] = {
     OPT_FLAG("cursor-autohide-fs-only", cursor_autohide_fs, 0),
     OPT_FLAG("stop-screensaver", stop_screensaver, UPDATE_SCREENSAVER),
 
-    OPT_STRING("heartbeat-cmd", heartbeat_cmd, 0,
-               .deprecation_message = "use Lua scripting instead"),
-    OPT_FLOAT("heartbeat-interval", heartbeat_interval, CONF_MIN, 0),
-
     OPT_SUBSTRUCT("", video_equalizer, mp_csp_equalizer_conf, 0),
 
     OPT_FLAG("use-filedir-conf", use_filedir_conf, 0),
@@ -822,6 +818,7 @@ const m_option_t mp_opts[] = {
     OPT_REPLACED("sub-ass-style-override", "sub-ass-override"),
     OPT_REMOVED("fs-black-out-screens", NULL),
     OPT_REPLACED("sub-paths", "sub-file-paths"),
+    OPT_REMOVED("heartbeat-cmd", "use Lua scripting instead"),
 
     {0}
 };
@@ -841,7 +838,6 @@ const struct MPOpts mp_default_opts = {
     .audio_device = "auto",
     .audio_client_name = "mpv",
     .wintitle = "${?media-title:${media-title}}${!media-title:No file} - mpv",
-    .heartbeat_interval = 30.0,
     .stop_screensaver = 1,
     .cursor_autohide_delay = 1000,
     .video_osd = 1,
diff --git a/options/options.h b/options/options.h
index ecb38e399519..895c12182b23 100644
--- a/options/options.h
+++ b/options/options.h
@@ -181,8 +181,6 @@ typedef struct MPOpts {
     char *status_msg;
     char *osd_status_msg;
     char *osd_msg[3];
-    char *heartbeat_cmd;
-    float heartbeat_interval;
     int player_idle_mode;
     int consolecontrols;
     int playlist_pos;
diff --git a/player/core.h b/player/core.h
index 1b08fed55b1b..1c1924aee2b9 100644
--- a/player/core.h
+++ b/player/core.h
@@ -386,7 +386,6 @@ typedef struct MPContext {
     struct frame_info *past_frames;
     int num_past_frames;
 
-    double next_heartbeat;
     double last_idle_tick;
     double next_cache_update;
 
diff --git a/player/playloop.c b/player/playloop.c
index c9bc91010bce..c908b1a6e2d9 100644
--- a/player/playloop.c
+++ b/player/playloop.c
@@ -685,21 +685,6 @@ int get_cache_buffering_percentage(struct MPContext *mpctx)
     return mpctx->demuxer ? mpctx->cache_buffer : -1;
 }
 
-static void handle_heartbeat_cmd(struct MPContext *mpctx)
-{
-#if !HAVE_UWP
-    struct MPOpts *opts = mpctx->opts;
-    if (opts->heartbeat_cmd && !mpctx->paused && mpctx->video_out) {
-        double now = mp_time_sec();
-        if (mpctx->next_heartbeat <= now) {
-            mpctx->next_heartbeat = now + opts->heartbeat_interval;
-            (void)system(opts->heartbeat_cmd);
-        }
-        mp_set_timeout(mpctx, mpctx->next_heartbeat - now);
-    }
-#endif
-}
-
 static void handle_cursor_autohide(struct MPContext *mpctx)
 {
     struct MPOpts *opts = mpctx->opts;
@@ -1089,7 +1074,6 @@ void run_playloop(struct MPContext *mpctx)
 
     handle_cursor_autohide(mpctx);
     handle_vo_events(mpctx);
-    handle_heartbeat_cmd(mpctx);
     handle_command_updates(mpctx);
 
     if (mpctx->lavfi) {