diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeReadAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeReadAction.java
index 4f36929df27..d427da76a2f 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeReadAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeReadAction.java
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ import org.elasticsearch.action.support.ActionFilters;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexNameExpressionResolver;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.service.ClusterService;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.Writeable;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Setting;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Setting.Property;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.ThreadPool;
 import org.elasticsearch.transport.TransportService;
@@ -39,11 +37,6 @@ import java.util.function.Supplier;
 public abstract class TransportMasterNodeReadAction<Request extends MasterNodeReadRequest<Request>, Response extends ActionResponse>
         extends TransportMasterNodeAction<Request, Response> {
 
-    public static final Setting<Boolean> FORCE_LOCAL_SETTING =
-        Setting.boolSetting("action.master.force_local", false, Property.NodeScope);
-
-    private final boolean forceLocal;
-
     protected TransportMasterNodeReadAction(Settings settings, String actionName, TransportService transportService,
                                             ClusterService clusterService, ThreadPool threadPool, ActionFilters actionFilters,
                                             IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver, Supplier<Request> request) {
@@ -61,7 +54,6 @@ public abstract class TransportMasterNodeReadAction<Request extends MasterNodeRe
                                             IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver, Supplier<Request> request) {
         super(settings, actionName, checkSizeLimit, transportService, clusterService, threadPool, actionFilters,
             indexNameExpressionResolver,request);
-        this.forceLocal = FORCE_LOCAL_SETTING.get(settings);
     }
 
     protected TransportMasterNodeReadAction(Settings settings, String actionName, boolean checkSizeLimit, TransportService transportService,
@@ -69,11 +61,10 @@ public abstract class TransportMasterNodeReadAction<Request extends MasterNodeRe
                                             Writeable.Reader<Request> request, IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver) {
         super(settings, actionName, checkSizeLimit, transportService, clusterService, threadPool, actionFilters, request,
             indexNameExpressionResolver);
-        this.forceLocal = FORCE_LOCAL_SETTING.get(settings);
     }
 
     @Override
     protected final boolean localExecute(Request request) {
-        return forceLocal || request.local();
+        return request.local();
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/settings/ClusterSettings.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/settings/ClusterSettings.java
index bcfed3388e9..ced99fc8065 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/settings/ClusterSettings.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/settings/ClusterSettings.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.indices.close.TransportCloseIndexAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.search.TransportSearchAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.support.AutoCreateIndex;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.support.DestructiveOperations;
-import org.elasticsearch.action.support.master.TransportMasterNodeReadAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.BootstrapSettings;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.Client;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.transport.TransportClient;
@@ -373,7 +372,6 @@ public final class ClusterSettings extends AbstractScopedSettings {
                     Node.NODE_INGEST_SETTING,
                     Node.NODE_ATTRIBUTES,
                     Node.NODE_LOCAL_STORAGE_SETTING,
-                    TransportMasterNodeReadAction.FORCE_LOCAL_SETTING,
                     AutoCreateIndex.AUTO_CREATE_INDEX_SETTING,
                     BaseRestHandler.MULTI_ALLOW_EXPLICIT_INDEX,
                     ClusterName.CLUSTER_NAME_SETTING,