diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/schema.php b/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
index 2cebeb169e..eae2cbbf0c 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
@@ -209,7 +209,6 @@ function populate_options() {
 	'require_name_email' => 1,
 	'comments_notify' => 1,
 	'posts_per_rss' => 10,
-	'rss_excerpt_length' => 50,
 	'rss_use_excerpt' => 0,
 	'mailserver_url' => 'mail.example.com',
 	'mailserver_login' => 'login@example.com',
@@ -348,7 +347,7 @@ function populate_options() {
 
 	// Delete unused options
 	$unusedoptions = array ('blodotgsping_url', 'bodyterminator', 'emailtestonly', 'phoneemail_separator', 'smilies_directory', 'subjectprefix', 'use_bbcode', 'use_blodotgsping', 'use_phoneemail', 'use_quicktags', 'use_weblogsping', 'weblogs_cache_file', 'use_preview', 'use_htmltrans', 'smilies_directory', 'fileupload_allowedusers', 'use_phoneemail', 'default_post_status', 'default_post_category', 'archive_mode', 'time_difference', 'links_minadminlevel', 'links_use_adminlevels', 'links_rating_type', 'links_rating_char', 'links_rating_ignore_zero', 'links_rating_single_image', 'links_rating_image0', 'links_rating_image1', 'links_rating_image2', 'links_rating_image3', 'links_rating_image4', 'links_rating_image5', 'links_rating_image6', 'links_rating_image7', 'links_rating_image8', 'links_rating_image9', 'weblogs_cacheminutes', 'comment_allowed_tags', 'search_engine_friendly_urls', 'default_geourl_lat', 'default_geourl_lon', 'use_default_geourl', 'weblogs_xml_url', 'new_users_can_blog', '_wpnonce', '_wp_http_referer', 'Update', 'action', 'rich_editing', 'autosave_interval', 'deactivated_plugins', 'can_compress_scripts',
-		'page_uris', 'rewrite_rules', 'update_core', 'update_plugins', 'update_themes', 'doing_cron', 'random_seed');
+		'page_uris', 'rewrite_rules', 'update_core', 'update_plugins', 'update_themes', 'doing_cron', 'random_seed', 'rss_excerpt_length');
 	foreach ($unusedoptions as $option)
 		delete_option($option);
 }
diff --git a/wp-includes/deprecated.php b/wp-includes/deprecated.php
index 010eb78ee1..4bcd3fceec 100644
--- a/wp-includes/deprecated.php
+++ b/wp-includes/deprecated.php
@@ -1690,4 +1690,70 @@ function the_author_ID() {
 	the_author_meta('ID');
 }
 
+/**
+ * Display the post content for the feed.
+ *
+ * For encoding the html or the $encode_html parameter, there are three possible
+ * values. '0' will make urls footnotes and use make_url_footnote(). '1' will
+ * encode special characters and automatically display all of the content. The
+ * value of '2' will strip all HTML tags from the content.
+ *
+ * Also note that you cannot set the amount of words and not set the html
+ * encoding. If that is the case, then the html encoding will default to 2,
+ * which will strip all HTML tags.
+ *
+ * To restrict the amount of words of the content, you can use the cut
+ * parameter. If the content is less than the amount, then there won't be any
+ * dots added to the end. If there is content left over, then dots will be added
+ * and the rest of the content will be removed.
+ *
+ * @package WordPress
+ * @subpackage Feed
+ * @since 0.71
+ * @uses apply_filters() Calls 'the_content_rss' on the content before processing.
+ * @see get_the_content() For the $more_link_text, $stripteaser, and $more_file
+ *		parameters.
+ *
+ * @deprecated 2.9.0
+ * 
+ * @param string $more_link_text Optional. Text to display when more content is available but not displayed.
+ * @param int|bool $stripteaser Optional. Default is 0.
+ * @param string $more_file Optional.
+ * @param int $cut Optional. Amount of words to keep for the content.
+ * @param int $encode_html Optional. How to encode the content.
+ */
+function the_content_rss($more_link_text='(more...)', $stripteaser=0, $more_file='', $cut = 0, $encode_html = 0) {
+	_deprecated_function(__FUNCTION__, '2.9', 'the_content_feed' );
+	$content = get_the_content($more_link_text, $stripteaser, $more_file);
+	$content = apply_filters('the_content_rss', $content);
+	if ( $cut && !$encode_html )
+		$encode_html = 2;
+	if ( 1== $encode_html ) {
+		$content = esc_html($content);
+		$cut = 0;
+	} elseif ( 0 == $encode_html ) {
+		$content = make_url_footnote($content);
+	} elseif ( 2 == $encode_html ) {
+		$content = strip_tags($content);
+	}
+	if ( $cut ) {
+		$blah = explode(' ', $content);
+		if ( count($blah) > $cut ) {
+			$k = $cut;
+			$use_dotdotdot = 1;
+		} else {
+			$k = count($blah);
+			$use_dotdotdot = 0;
+		}
+
+		/** @todo Check performance, might be faster to use array slice instead. */
+		for ( $i=0; $i<$k; $i++ )
+			$excerpt .= $blah[$i].' ';
+		$excerpt .= ($use_dotdotdot) ? '...' : '';
+		$content = $excerpt;
+	}
+	$content = str_replace(']]>', ']]&gt;', $content);
+	echo $content;
+}
+
 ?>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/wp-includes/feed-atom.php b/wp-includes/feed-atom.php
index 17b7833b7a..da3eeb467d 100644
--- a/wp-includes/feed-atom.php
+++ b/wp-includes/feed-atom.php
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ echo '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="'.get_option('blog_charset').'"?'.'>'; ?>
 		<?php the_category_rss('atom') ?>
 		<summary type="<?php html_type_rss(); ?>"><![CDATA[<?php the_excerpt_rss(); ?>]]></summary>
 <?php if ( !get_option('rss_use_excerpt') ) : ?>
-		<content type="<?php html_type_rss(); ?>" xml:base="<?php the_permalink_rss() ?>"><![CDATA[<?php the_content('', 0, '') ?>]]></content>
+		<content type="<?php html_type_rss(); ?>" xml:base="<?php the_permalink_rss() ?>"><![CDATA[<?php the_content_feed('atom') ?>]]></content>
 <?php endif; ?>
 <?php atom_enclosure(); ?>
 <?php do_action('atom_entry'); ?>
diff --git a/wp-includes/feed-rdf.php b/wp-includes/feed-rdf.php
index eee132edb4..946f370a51 100644
--- a/wp-includes/feed-rdf.php
+++ b/wp-includes/feed-rdf.php
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ echo '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="'.get_option('blog_charset').'"?'.'>'; ?>
 <?php if (get_option('rss_use_excerpt')) : ?>
 	<description><?php the_excerpt_rss() ?></description>
 <?php else : ?>
-	<description><?php the_content_rss('', 0, '', get_option('rss_excerpt_length'), 2) ?></description>
-	<content:encoded><![CDATA[<?php the_content('', 0, '') ?>]]></content:encoded>
+	<description><?php the_excerpt_rss() ?></description>
+	<content:encoded><![CDATA[<?php the_content_feed('rdf') ?>]]></content:encoded>
 <?php endif; ?>
 	<?php do_action('rdf_item'); ?>
 </item>
diff --git a/wp-includes/feed-rss.php b/wp-includes/feed-rss.php
index e5c2fe830a..90eeab05e1 100644
--- a/wp-includes/feed-rss.php
+++ b/wp-includes/feed-rss.php
@@ -23,11 +23,7 @@ echo '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="'.get_option('blog_charset').'"?'.'>'; ?>
 <?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
 	<item>
 		<title><?php the_title_rss() ?></title>
-<?php if (get_option('rss_use_excerpt')) { ?>
 		<description><![CDATA[<?php the_excerpt_rss() ?>]]></description>
-<?php } else { // use content ?>
-		<description><?php the_content_rss('', 0, '', get_option('rss_excerpt_length')) ?></description>
-<?php } ?>
 		<link><?php the_permalink_rss() ?></link>
 		<?php do_action('rss_item'); ?>
 	</item>
diff --git a/wp-includes/feed-rss2.php b/wp-includes/feed-rss2.php
index 7187fe2e22..12286da287 100644
--- a/wp-includes/feed-rss2.php
+++ b/wp-includes/feed-rss2.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ echo '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="'.get_option('blog_charset').'"?'.'>'; ?>
 <?php else : ?>
 		<description><![CDATA[<?php the_excerpt_rss() ?>]]></description>
 	<?php if ( strlen( $post->post_content ) > 0 ) : ?>
-		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<?php the_content() ?>]]></content:encoded>
+		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<?php the_content_feed('rss2') ?>]]></content:encoded>
 	<?php else : ?>
 		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<?php the_excerpt_rss() ?>]]></content:encoded>
 	<?php endif; ?>
diff --git a/wp-includes/feed.php b/wp-includes/feed.php
index 0226356419..7598695062 100644
--- a/wp-includes/feed.php
+++ b/wp-includes/feed.php
@@ -130,66 +130,38 @@ function the_title_rss() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Display the post content for the feed.
- *
- * For encoding the html or the $encode_html parameter, there are three possible
- * values. '0' will make urls footnotes and use make_url_footnote(). '1' will
- * encode special characters and automatically display all of the content. The
- * value of '2' will strip all HTML tags from the content.
- *
- * Also note that you cannot set the amount of words and not set the html
- * encoding. If that is the case, then the html encoding will default to 2,
- * which will strip all HTML tags.
- *
- * To restrict the amount of words of the content, you can use the cut
- * parameter. If the content is less than the amount, then there won't be any
- * dots added to the end. If there is content left over, then dots will be added
- * and the rest of the content will be removed.
+ * Retrieve the post content for feeds.
  *
  * @package WordPress
  * @subpackage Feed
- * @since 0.71
- * @uses apply_filters() Calls 'the_content_rss' on the content before processing.
- * @see get_the_content() For the $more_link_text, $stripteaser, and $more_file
- *		parameters.
+ * @since 2.9.0
+ * @uses apply_filters() Calls 'the_content_feed' on the content before processing.
+ * @see get_the_content()
  *
- * @param string $more_link_text Optional. Text to display when more content is available but not displayed.
- * @param int|bool $stripteaser Optional. Default is 0.
- * @param string $more_file Optional.
- * @param int $cut Optional. Amount of words to keep for the content.
- * @param int $encode_html Optional. How to encode the content.
+ * @param string $feed_type The type of feed. rss2 | atom | rss | rdf
  */
-function the_content_rss($more_link_text='(more...)', $stripteaser=0, $more_file='', $cut = 0, $encode_html = 0) {
-	$content = get_the_content($more_link_text, $stripteaser, $more_file);
-	$content = apply_filters('the_content_rss', $content);
-	if ( $cut && !$encode_html )
-		$encode_html = 2;
-	if ( 1== $encode_html ) {
-		$content = esc_html($content);
-		$cut = 0;
-	} elseif ( 0 == $encode_html ) {
-		$content = make_url_footnote($content);
-	} elseif ( 2 == $encode_html ) {
-		$content = strip_tags($content);
-	}
-	if ( $cut ) {
-		$blah = explode(' ', $content);
-		if ( count($blah) > $cut ) {
-			$k = $cut;
-			$use_dotdotdot = 1;
-		} else {
-			$k = count($blah);
-			$use_dotdotdot = 0;
-		}
+function get_the_content_feed($feed_type = null) {
+	if ( !$feed_type )
+		$feed_type = get_default_feed();
 
-		/** @todo Check performance, might be faster to use array slice instead. */
-		for ( $i=0; $i<$k; $i++ )
-			$excerpt .= $blah[$i].' ';
-		$excerpt .= ($use_dotdotdot) ? '...' : '';
-		$content = $excerpt;
-	}
+	$content = apply_filters('the_content', get_the_content());
 	$content = str_replace(']]>', ']]&gt;', $content);
-	echo $content;
+	return apply_filters('the_content_feed', $content, $feed_type);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Display the post content for feeds.
+ *
+ * @package WordPress
+ * @subpackage Feed
+ * @since 2.9.0
+ * @uses apply_filters() Calls 'the_content_feed' on the content before processing.
+ * @see get_the_content()
+ *
+ * @param string $feed_type The type of feed. rss2 | atom | rss | rdf
+ */
+function the_content_feed($feed_type = null) {
+	echo get_the_content_feed();
 }
 
 /**