diff --git a/paperless.conf.example b/paperless.conf.example
index bd9f715f2..9c0b57250 100644
--- a/paperless.conf.example
+++ b/paperless.conf.example
@@ -129,11 +129,6 @@ PAPERLESS_EMAIL_SECRET=""
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.11/ref/settings/#force-script-name
 #PAPERLESS_FORCE_SCRIPT_NAME=""
 
-# If you are using alternative authentication means or are just using paperless
-# as a single user on a small private network, this option allows you to disable
-# user authentication if you set it to "true"
-#PAPERLESS_DISABLE_LOGIN="false"
-
 ###############################################################################
 ####                          Software Tweaks                              ####
 ###############################################################################
diff --git a/src/paperless/middleware.py b/src/paperless/middleware.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 58cdad65c..000000000
--- a/src/paperless/middleware.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-from django.utils.deprecation import MiddlewareMixin
-from .models import User
-
-
-class Middleware(MiddlewareMixin):
-    """
-      This is a dummy authentication middleware class that creates what
-      is roughly an Anonymous authenticated user so we can disable login
-      and not interfere with existing user ID's. It's only used if
-      login is disabled in paperless.conf (default is to require login)
-    """
-
-    def process_request(self, request):
-        request.user = User()
diff --git a/src/paperless/models.py b/src/paperless/models.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e390032db..000000000
--- a/src/paperless/models.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-from django.contrib.auth.models import User as DjangoUser
-
-
-class User:
-    """
-    This is a dummy django User used with our middleware to disable
-    login authentication if that is configured in paperless.conf
-    """
-
-    is_superuser = True
-    is_active = True
-    is_staff = True
-    is_authenticated = True
-
-    @property
-    def id(self):
-        return DjangoUser.objects.order_by("pk").first().pk
-
-    @property
-    def pk(self):
-        return self.id
-
-
-"""
-NOTE: These are here as a hack instead of being in the User definition
-NOTE: above due to the way pycodestyle handles lamdbdas.
-NOTE: See https://github.com/PyCQA/pycodestyle/issues/379 for more.
-"""
-
-User.has_module_perms = lambda *_: True
-User.has_perm = lambda *_: True
diff --git a/src/paperless/settings.py b/src/paperless/settings.py
index aa356aa5a..65da01218 100644
--- a/src/paperless/settings.py
+++ b/src/paperless/settings.py
@@ -140,11 +140,6 @@ if DEBUG:
     # Allow access from the angular development server during debugging
     CORS_ORIGIN_WHITELIST += ('http://localhost:4200',)
 
-# If auth is disabled, we just use our "bypass" authentication middleware
-if bool(os.getenv("PAPERLESS_DISABLE_LOGIN", "false").lower() in ("yes", "y", "1", "t", "true")):
-    _index = MIDDLEWARE.index("django.contrib.auth.middleware.AuthenticationMiddleware")
-    MIDDLEWARE[_index] = "paperless.middleware.Middleware"
-
 # The secret key has a default that should be fine so long as you're hosting
 # Paperless on a closed network.  However, if you're putting this anywhere
 # public, you should change the key to something unique and verbose.