diff --git a/RELEASES.md b/RELEASES.md
index e261294a032fd..1d5de888d8199 100644
--- a/RELEASES.md
+++ b/RELEASES.md
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ Compiler
 - [Detect uninhabited types early in const eval](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/109435/)
 - [Switch to LLD as default linker for {arm,thumb}v4t-none-eabi](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/109721/)
 - [Add tier 3 target `loongarch64-unknown-linux-gnu`](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/96971)
-- [Add tier 3 target for `i586-pc-nto-qnx700` (QNX Neutrino RTOS, version 7.0)](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/109173/), 
+- [Add tier 3 target for `i586-pc-nto-qnx700` (QNX Neutrino RTOS, version 7.0)](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/109173/),
 - [Insert alignment checks for pointer dereferences as debug assertions](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/98112)
   This catches undefined behavior at runtime, and may cause existing code to fail.
 
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ Compatibility Notes
   If `tools = [...]` is set in config.toml, we will respect a missing rustdoc in that list. By
   default rustdoc remains included. To retain the prior behavior explicitly add `"rustdoc"` to the
   list.
-  
+
 <a id="1.69.0-Internal-Changes"></a>
 
 Internal Changes
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ Language
 --------
 
 - [Stabilize default_alloc_error_handler](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/102318/)
-  This allows usage of `alloc` on stable without requiring the 
+  This allows usage of `alloc` on stable without requiring the
   definition of a handler for allocation failure. Defining custom handlers is still unstable.
 - [Stabilize `efiapi` calling convention.](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/105795/)
 - [Remove implicit promotion for types with drop glue](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/105085/)
@@ -722,7 +722,6 @@ Compatibility Notes
 
 - [Only support Android NDK 25 or newer](https://blog.rust-lang.org/2023/01/09/android-ndk-update-r25.html)
 - [Add `SEMICOLON_IN_EXPRESSIONS_FROM_MACROS` to future-incompat report](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/103418/)
-- [Only specify `--target` by default for `-Zgcc-ld=lld` on wasm](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/101792/)
 - [Bump `IMPLIED_BOUNDS_ENTAILMENT` to Deny + ReportNow](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/106465/)
 - [`std::task::Context` no longer implements Send and Sync](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/95985)
 
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/messages.ftl b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/messages.ftl
index 6f7d7482aea8c..6648266733614 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/messages.ftl
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/messages.ftl
@@ -168,8 +168,6 @@ codegen_ssa_multiple_main_functions = entry symbol `main` declared multiple time
 
 codegen_ssa_no_natvis_directory = error enumerating natvis directory: {$error}
 
-codegen_ssa_option_gcc_only = option `-Z gcc-ld` is used even though linker flavor is not gcc
-
 codegen_ssa_processing_dymutil_failed = processing debug info with `dsymutil` failed: {$status}
     .note = {$output}
 
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
index c4a0f6291e7f4..746489158128a 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
@@ -2964,31 +2964,22 @@ fn get_apple_sdk_root(sdk_name: &str) -> Result<String, errors::AppleSdkRootErro
     }
 }
 
-/// When using the linker flavors opting in to `lld`, or the unstable `-Zgcc-ld=lld` flag, add the
-/// necessary paths and arguments to invoke it:
+/// When using the linker flavors opting in to `lld`,
+/// add the necessary paths and arguments to invoke it:
 /// - when the self-contained linker flag is active: the build of `lld` distributed with rustc,
 /// - or any `lld` available to `cc`.
 fn add_lld_args(cmd: &mut dyn Linker, sess: &Session, flavor: LinkerFlavor) {
-    let unstable_use_lld = sess.opts.unstable_opts.gcc_ld.is_some();
-    debug!("add_lld_args requested, flavor: '{flavor:?}', `-Zgcc-ld=lld`: {unstable_use_lld}");
-
-    // Sanity check: using the old unstable `-Zgcc-ld=lld` option requires a `cc`-using flavor.
-    let flavor_uses_cc = flavor.uses_cc();
-    if unstable_use_lld && !flavor_uses_cc {
-        sess.emit_fatal(errors::OptionGccOnly);
-    }
+    debug!("add_lld_args requested, flavor: '{flavor:?}'");
 
     // If the flavor doesn't use a C/C++ compiler to invoke the linker, or doesn't opt in to `lld`,
     // we don't need to do anything.
-    let use_lld = flavor.uses_lld() || unstable_use_lld;
-    if !flavor_uses_cc || !use_lld {
+    if !(flavor.uses_cc() && flavor.uses_lld()) {
         return;
     }
 
     // 1. Implement the "self-contained" part of this feature by adding rustc distribution
     //    directories to the tool's search path.
-    let self_contained_linker = sess.opts.cg.link_self_contained.linker() || unstable_use_lld;
-    if self_contained_linker {
+    if sess.opts.cg.link_self_contained.linker() {
         for path in sess.get_tools_search_paths(false) {
             cmd.arg({
                 let mut arg = OsString::from("-B");
@@ -3012,13 +3003,13 @@ fn add_lld_args(cmd: &mut dyn Linker, sess: &Session, flavor: LinkerFlavor) {
         // shown in issue #101653 and the discussion in PR #101792.
         //
         // It could be required in some cases of cross-compiling with
-        // `-Zgcc-ld=lld`, but this is generally unspecified, and we don't know
+        // LLD, but this is generally unspecified, and we don't know
         // which specific versions of clang, macOS SDK, host and target OS
         // combinations impact us here.
         //
         // So we do a simple first-approximation until we know more of what the
         // Apple targets require (and which would be handled prior to hitting this
-        // `-Zgcc-ld=lld` codepath anyway), but the expectation is that until then
+        // LLD codepath anyway), but the expectation is that until then
         // this should be manually passed if needed. We specify the target when
         // targeting a different linker flavor on macOS, and that's also always
         // the case when targeting WASM.
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/errors.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/errors.rs
index 14311ec08fd26..39b2fa37fbf87 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/errors.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/errors.rs
@@ -489,10 +489,6 @@ pub struct RlibArchiveBuildFailure {
     pub error: Error,
 }
 
-#[derive(Diagnostic)]
-#[diag(codegen_ssa_option_gcc_only)]
-pub struct OptionGccOnly;
-
 #[derive(Diagnostic)]
 pub enum ExtractBundledLibsError<'a> {
     #[diag(codegen_ssa_extract_bundled_libs_open_file)]
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs b/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
index c1424db600eff..338d3ab0b57f3 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
@@ -412,7 +412,6 @@ mod desc {
         "one of supported split-debuginfo modes (`off`, `packed`, or `unpacked`)";
     pub const parse_split_dwarf_kind: &str =
         "one of supported split dwarf modes (`split` or `single`)";
-    pub const parse_gcc_ld: &str = "one of: no value, `lld`";
     pub const parse_link_self_contained: &str = "one of: `y`, `yes`, `on`, `n`, `no`, `off`, or a list of enabled (`+` prefix) and disabled (`-` prefix) \
         components: `crto`, `libc`, `unwind`, `linker`, `sanitizers`, `mingw`";
     pub const parse_stack_protector: &str =
@@ -1202,15 +1201,6 @@ mod parse {
         true
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn parse_gcc_ld(slot: &mut Option<LdImpl>, v: Option<&str>) -> bool {
-        match v {
-            None => *slot = None,
-            Some("lld") => *slot = Some(LdImpl::Lld),
-            _ => return false,
-        }
-        true
-    }
-
     pub(crate) fn parse_stack_protector(slot: &mut StackProtector, v: Option<&str>) -> bool {
         match v.and_then(|s| StackProtector::from_str(s).ok()) {
             Some(ssp) => *slot = ssp,
@@ -1521,7 +1511,6 @@ options! {
         "whether each function should go in its own section"),
     future_incompat_test: bool = (false, parse_bool, [UNTRACKED],
         "forces all lints to be future incompatible, used for internal testing (default: no)"),
-    gcc_ld: Option<LdImpl> = (None, parse_gcc_ld, [TRACKED], "implementation of ld used by cc"),
     graphviz_dark_mode: bool = (false, parse_bool, [UNTRACKED],
         "use dark-themed colors in graphviz output (default: no)"),
     graphviz_font: String = ("Courier, monospace".to_string(), parse_string, [UNTRACKED],
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/compile.rs b/src/bootstrap/compile.rs
index cf1f97c5b416c..6821ded1458bd 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/compile.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/compile.rs
@@ -1677,15 +1677,17 @@ impl Step for Assemble {
             let src_exe = exe("lld", target_compiler.host);
             let dst_exe = exe("rust-lld", target_compiler.host);
             builder.copy(&lld_install.join("bin").join(&src_exe), &libdir_bin.join(&dst_exe));
-            // for `-Z gcc-ld=lld`
-            let gcc_ld_dir = libdir_bin.join("gcc-ld");
-            t!(fs::create_dir(&gcc_ld_dir));
+            let self_contained_lld_dir = libdir_bin.join("gcc-ld");
+            t!(fs::create_dir(&self_contained_lld_dir));
             let lld_wrapper_exe = builder.ensure(crate::tool::LldWrapper {
                 compiler: build_compiler,
                 target: target_compiler.host,
             });
             for name in crate::LLD_FILE_NAMES {
-                builder.copy(&lld_wrapper_exe, &gcc_ld_dir.join(exe(name, target_compiler.host)));
+                builder.copy(
+                    &lld_wrapper_exe,
+                    &self_contained_lld_dir.join(exe(name, target_compiler.host)),
+                );
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/dist.rs b/src/bootstrap/dist.rs
index 32da4ac29a463..05556d2f67909 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/dist.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/dist.rs
@@ -471,14 +471,15 @@ impl Step for Rustc {
                 let src_dir = builder.sysroot_libdir(compiler, host).parent().unwrap().join("bin");
                 let rust_lld = exe("rust-lld", compiler.host);
                 builder.copy(&src_dir.join(&rust_lld), &dst_dir.join(&rust_lld));
-                // for `-Z gcc-ld=lld`
-                let gcc_lld_src_dir = src_dir.join("gcc-ld");
-                let gcc_lld_dst_dir = dst_dir.join("gcc-ld");
-                t!(fs::create_dir(&gcc_lld_dst_dir));
+                let self_contained_lld_src_dir = src_dir.join("gcc-ld");
+                let self_contained_lld_dst_dir = dst_dir.join("gcc-ld");
+                t!(fs::create_dir(&self_contained_lld_dst_dir));
                 for name in crate::LLD_FILE_NAMES {
                     let exe_name = exe(name, compiler.host);
-                    builder
-                        .copy(&gcc_lld_src_dir.join(&exe_name), &gcc_lld_dst_dir.join(&exe_name));
+                    builder.copy(
+                        &self_contained_lld_src_dir.join(&exe_name),
+                        &self_contained_lld_dst_dir.join(&exe_name),
+                    );
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/needs.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/needs.rs
index 2b7a4387cebc1..4a40fb55f5c16 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/needs.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/needs.rs
@@ -241,8 +241,8 @@ impl CachedNeedsConditions {
             profiler_support: std::env::var_os("RUSTC_PROFILER_SUPPORT").is_some(),
             xray: config.target_cfg().xray,
 
-            // For tests using the `needs-rust-lld` directive (e.g. for `-Zgcc-ld=lld`), we need to find
-            // whether `rust-lld` is present in the compiler under test.
+            // For tests using the `needs-rust-lld` directive (e.g. for `-Clink-self-contained=+linker`),
+            // we need to find whether `rust-lld` is present in the compiler under test.
             //
             // The --compile-lib-path is the path to host shared libraries, but depends on the OS. For
             // example:
diff --git a/src/tools/lld-wrapper/src/main.rs b/src/tools/lld-wrapper/src/main.rs
index b5e977b2637d8..da94e686f3824 100644
--- a/src/tools/lld-wrapper/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/tools/lld-wrapper/src/main.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 //! two arguments the `<flavor>` command line interface is used to process the remaining arguments.
 //! If no `-flavor` argument is present the flavor is determined by the executable name.
 //!
-//! In Rust with `-Z gcc-ld=lld` we have gcc or clang invoke rust-lld. Since there is no way to
-//! make gcc/clang pass `-flavor <flavor>` as the first two arguments in the linker invocation
+//! With `-Clink-self-contained=+linker` we have gcc or clang invoke rust-lld. Since there is no way
+//! to make gcc/clang pass `-flavor <flavor>` as the first two arguments in the linker invocation
 //! and since Windows does not support symbolic links for files this wrapper is used in place of a
 //! symbolic link. It execs `../rust-lld -flavor <flavor>` by propagating the flavor argument
 //! obtained from the wrapper's name as the first two arguments.
diff --git a/tests/run-make/issue-71519/Makefile b/tests/run-make/issue-71519/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ee83328bb689..0000000000000
--- a/tests/run-make/issue-71519/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-include ../tools.mk
-
-# ignore-msvc
-# needs-rust-lld
-# ignore-s390x lld does not yet support s390x as target
-all:
-	RUSTC_LOG=rustc_codegen_ssa::back::link=info $(RUSTC) -Z gcc-ld=lld -C link-args=-Wl,-v main.rs 2> $(TMPDIR)/output.txt
-	$(CGREP) -e "^LLD [0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+" < $(TMPDIR)/output.txt
diff --git a/tests/run-make/issue-71519/main.rs b/tests/run-make/issue-71519/main.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index f8d09e8975330..0000000000000
--- a/tests/run-make/issue-71519/main.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-// test linking using cc with rust-lld injected into search path as ld
-// see rust-lang/rust#71519 for more info
-
-fn main() {}