diff --git a/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs b/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs
index 34acb4ea10f..7aca86f7169 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs
@@ -2317,13 +2317,6 @@ pub fn build_session_options(early_dcx: &mut EarlyDiagCtxt, matches: &getopts::M
 
     check_error_format_stability(early_dcx, &unstable_opts, error_format);
 
-    if !unstable_opts.unstable_options && json_unused_externs.is_enabled() {
-        early_dcx.early_fatal(
-            "the `-Z unstable-options` flag must also be passed to enable \
-            the flag `--json=unused-externs`",
-        );
-    }
-
     let output_types = parse_output_types(early_dcx, &unstable_opts, matches);
 
     let mut cg = CodegenOptions::build(early_dcx, matches);
diff --git a/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json-silent.rs b/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json-silent.rs
index f0f6d5b704d..d8c4382dfc5 100644
--- a/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json-silent.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json-silent.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 //@ edition:2018
 //@ check-pass
-//@ compile-flags: -Dunused-crate-dependencies -Zunstable-options --json unused-externs-silent --error-format=json
+//@ compile-flags: -Dunused-crate-dependencies --json unused-externs-silent --error-format=json
 //@ aux-crate:bar=bar.rs
 
 fn main() {}
diff --git a/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json.rs b/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json.rs
index aab53eb3775..1f5a2f08e6d 100644
--- a/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/deny-cmdline-json.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Check for unused crate dep, json event, deny, expect compile failure
 
 //@ edition:2018
-//@ compile-flags: -Dunused-crate-dependencies  -Zunstable-options --json unused-externs --error-format=json
+//@ compile-flags: -Dunused-crate-dependencies --json unused-externs --error-format=json
 //@ aux-crate:bar=bar.rs
 
 fn main() {}
diff --git a/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/warn-cmdline-json.rs b/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/warn-cmdline-json.rs
index b23a9c8d5fb..68c4d873d67 100644
--- a/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/warn-cmdline-json.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/unused-crate-deps/warn-cmdline-json.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 //@ edition:2018
 //@ check-pass
-//@ compile-flags: -Wunused-crate-dependencies -Zunstable-options --json unused-externs --error-format=json
+//@ compile-flags: -Wunused-crate-dependencies --json unused-externs --error-format=json
 //@ aux-crate:bar=bar.rs
 
 fn main() {}