diff --git a/DOCS/man/options.rst b/DOCS/man/options.rst
index e2c3c6d00c..662cc7b62a 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/options.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/options.rst
@@ -2052,11 +2052,9 @@ Audio
     Audio delay in seconds (positive or negative float value). Positive values
     delay the audio, and negative values delay the video.
 
-``--mute=<yes|no|auto>``
+``--mute=<yes|no>``
     Set startup audio mute status (default: no).
 
-    ``auto`` is a deprecated possible value that is equivalent to ``no``.
-
     See also: ``--volume``.
 
 ``--audio-demuxer=<[+]name>``
diff --git a/options/options.c b/options/options.c
index a0d00dde38..b664fe18c5 100644
--- a/options/options.c
+++ b/options/options.c
@@ -737,11 +737,7 @@ static const m_option_t mp_opts[] = {
     {"volume-gain-min", OPT_FLOAT(softvol_gain_min), M_RANGE(-150, 0)},
     {"volume-gain", OPT_FLOAT(softvol_gain), .flags = UPDATE_VOL,
         M_RANGE(-150, 150)},
-    {"mute", OPT_CHOICE(softvol_mute,
-        {"no", 0},
-        {"auto", 0},
-        {"yes", 1}),
-        .flags = UPDATE_VOL},
+    {"mute", OPT_BOOL(softvol_mute), .flags = UPDATE_VOL},
     {"replaygain", OPT_CHOICE(rgain_mode,
         {"no", 0},
         {"track", 1},
diff --git a/options/options.h b/options/options.h
index b80a128b21..8e6d5e43cb 100644
--- a/options/options.h
+++ b/options/options.h
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ typedef struct MPOpts {
     float rgain_preamp;         // Set replaygain pre-amplification
     bool rgain_clip;             // Enable/disable clipping prevention
     float rgain_fallback;
-    int softvol_mute;
+    bool softvol_mute;
     float softvol_max;
     float softvol_gain;
     float softvol_gain_min;
diff --git a/player/audio.c b/player/audio.c
index e74add8cf8..4fe78953db 100644
--- a/player/audio.c
+++ b/player/audio.c
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ void audio_update_volume(struct MPContext *mpctx)
     gain = pow(gain, 3);
     gain *= compute_replaygain(mpctx);
     gain *= db_gain(opts->softvol_gain);
-    if (opts->softvol_mute == 1)
+    if (opts->softvol_mute)
         gain = 0.0;
 
     ao_set_gain(ao_c->ao, gain);