diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/all b/inventory/group_vars/all
index 4348cc7ff3..9c4f3f737d 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/all
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/all
@@ -233,10 +233,6 @@ ssh_hostnames: []
 sshd_keyhelper: false
 # Normal default sshd port is 22
 sshd_port: 22
-#
-# sshd can run a internal sftp server, we need this on some hosts, but
-# not on most of them, so default to false
-sshd_sftp: false
 tcp_ports: []
 # example of ports for default iptables
 # tcp_ports: [ 22, 80, 443 ]
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/batcave b/inventory/group_vars/batcave
index d05a84c54e..9f38aca0c7 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/batcave
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/batcave
@@ -71,6 +71,5 @@ nrpe_procs_crit: 1000
 nrpe_procs_warn: 900
 num_cpus: 10
 primary_auth_source: ipa
-sshd_sftp: true
 tcp_ports: [80, 443, 8442, 8443]
 vpn: true
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/people b/inventory/group_vars/people
index b66614cce6..15ba3216ae 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/people
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/people
@@ -41,6 +41,4 @@ ipa_client_sudo_groups:
 ipa_host_group: people
 ipa_host_group_desc: A place for people to host things
 primary_auth_source: ipa
-# enable sftp for cotributors.
-sshd_sftp: true
 vpn: true
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/secondary b/inventory/group_vars/secondary
index daf246297e..ec8bd98cda 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/secondary
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/secondary
@@ -22,5 +22,4 @@ nrpe_procs_crit: 1000
 nrpe_procs_warn: 900
 primary_auth_source: ipa
 rsyncd_conf: "rsyncd.conf.download-{{ datacenter }}"
-sshd_sftp: true
 tcp_ports: [80, 443, 873]
diff --git a/inventory/host_vars/koji01.iad2.fedoraproject.org b/inventory/host_vars/koji01.iad2.fedoraproject.org
index 7b6b595c31..f7c24d1a7c 100644
--- a/inventory/host_vars/koji01.iad2.fedoraproject.org
+++ b/inventory/host_vars/koji01.iad2.fedoraproject.org
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ ks_repo: http://10.3.163.35/pub/fedora/linux/releases/35/Server/x86_64/os/
 ks_url: http://10.3.163.35/repo/rhel/ks/kvm-fedora
 nrpe_procs_crit: 1000
 nrpe_procs_warn: 900
-# we need sftp here in order to support the sshfs mount on buildvm-s390x-01
-sshd_sftp: true
 virt_install_command: "{{ virt_install_command_one_nic }}"
 vmhost: bvmhost-x86-02.iad2.fedoraproject.org
 volgroup: /dev/vg_guests
diff --git a/roles/basessh/templates/sshd_config b/roles/basessh/templates/sshd_config
index b54428d3ea..bd6f809365 100644
--- a/roles/basessh/templates/sshd_config
+++ b/roles/basessh/templates/sshd_config
@@ -62,8 +62,4 @@ AuthorizedKeysCommand /usr/libexec/pagure/keyhelper.py "%u" "%h" "%t" "%f"
 AuthorizedKeysCommandUser nobody
 AuthorizedKeysCommand /usr/bin/sss_ssh_authorizedkeys
 {% endif %}
-
-
-{% if sshd_sftp %}
 Subsystem sftp internal-sftp
-{% endif %}