diff --git a/options/m_config.c b/options/m_config.c
index 256e4653e7..2dc3eb569d 100644
--- a/options/m_config.c
+++ b/options/m_config.c
@@ -344,8 +344,6 @@ error:
 
 static void ensure_backup(struct m_config *config, struct m_config_option *co)
 {
-    if (co->opt->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD)
-        return;
     if (!co->data)
         return;
     for (struct m_opt_backup *cur = config->backup_opts; cur; cur = cur->next) {
@@ -553,6 +551,8 @@ static void m_config_add_option(struct m_config *config,
         .name = arg->name,
         .shadow_offset = -1,
         .group = parent ? parent->group : 0,
+        .default_data = &default_value,
+        .is_hidden = !!arg->deprecation_message,
     };
 
     if (arg->offset >= 0) {
@@ -560,22 +560,11 @@ static void m_config_add_option(struct m_config *config,
             co.data = (char *)optstruct + arg->offset;
         if (optstruct_def)
             co.default_data = (char *)optstruct_def + arg->offset;
-        int size = arg->type->size;
-        if (optstruct && size) {
-            // The required alignment is unknown, so go with the minimum C
-            // could require. Slightly wasteful, but not that much.
-            int align = (size - config->shadow_size % size) % size;
-            co.shadow_offset = config->shadow_size + align;
-            config->shadow_size = co.shadow_offset + size;
-        }
     }
 
     if (arg->defval)
         co.default_data = arg->defval;
 
-    if (!co.default_data)
-        co.default_data = &default_value;
-
     // Fill in the full name
     if (!co.name[0]) {
         co.name = parent_name;
@@ -583,24 +572,28 @@ static void m_config_add_option(struct m_config *config,
         co.name = talloc_asprintf(config, "%s-%s", parent_name, co.name);
     }
 
-    if (co.opt->deprecation_message)
-        co.is_hidden = true;
-
-    // Option with children -> add them
-    if (arg->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD) {
+    if (arg->type == &m_option_type_subconfig) {
         const struct m_sub_options *subopts = arg->priv;
         add_sub_options(config, &co, subopts);
     } else {
+        int size = arg->type->size;
+        if (optstruct && size) {
+            // The required alignment is unknown, so go with the maximum C
+            // could require. Slightly wasteful, but not that much.
+            int align = (size - config->shadow_size % size) % size;
+            co.shadow_offset = config->shadow_size + align;
+            config->shadow_size = co.shadow_offset + size;
+        }
+
         // Initialize options
         if (co.data && co.default_data)
             init_opt_inplace(arg, co.data, co.default_data);
-    }
 
-    if (arg->type == &m_option_type_obj_settings_list)
-        init_obj_settings_list(config, (const struct m_obj_list *)arg->priv);
-
-    if (arg->name[0]) // no own name -> hidden
         MP_TARRAY_APPEND(config, config->opts, config->num_opts, co);
+
+        if (arg->type == &m_option_type_obj_settings_list)
+            init_obj_settings_list(config, (const struct m_obj_list *)arg->priv);
+    }
 }
 
 struct m_config_option *m_config_get_co_raw(const struct m_config *config,
@@ -843,16 +836,9 @@ static int m_config_parse_option(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
     if (bstr_equals0(name, "list-options"))
         return list_options(config, bstr0("*"), false);
 
-    // Option with children are a bit different to parse
-    if (co->opt->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD) {
-        MP_FATAL(config, "Suboptions (--%.*s=...) have been removed. Use "
-                 "flat options instead.\n", BSTR_P(name));
-        return M_OPT_INVALID;
-    }
-
     union m_option_value val = {0};
 
-    // Some option tpyes are "impure" and work on the existing data.
+    // Some option types are "impure" and work on the existing data.
     // (Prime examples: --vf-add, --sub-file)
     if (co->data)
         m_option_copy(co->opt, &val, co->data);
@@ -968,8 +954,6 @@ void m_config_print_option_list(const struct m_config *config, const char *name)
     for (int i = 0; i < config->num_opts; i++) {
         struct m_config_option *co = &sorted[i];
         const struct m_option *opt = co->opt;
-        if (opt->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD)
-            continue;
         if (co->is_hidden)
             continue;
 #if HAVE_FNMATCH
@@ -1022,9 +1006,6 @@ char **m_config_list_options(void *ta_parent, const struct m_config *config)
     int count = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < config->num_opts; i++) {
         struct m_config_option *co = &config->opts[i];
-        const struct m_option *opt = co->opt;
-        if (opt->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD)
-            continue;
         if (co->is_hidden)
             continue;
         // For use with CONF_TYPE_STRING_LIST, it's important not to set list
diff --git a/options/m_option.c b/options/m_option.c
index 6baa87c163..11bb677b97 100644
--- a/options/m_option.c
+++ b/options/m_option.c
@@ -1662,10 +1662,7 @@ const m_option_type_t m_option_type_print_fn = {
     .parse = parse_print,
 };
 
-
-/////////////////////// Subconfig
 #undef VAL
-#define VAL(x) (*(char ***)(x))
 
 // Read s sub-option name, or a positional sub-opt value.
 // termset is a string containing the set of chars that terminate an option.
@@ -1750,50 +1747,6 @@ static int split_subconf(struct mp_log *log, bstr optname, bstr *str,
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int parse_subconf(struct mp_log *log, const m_option_t *opt,
-                         struct bstr name, struct bstr param, void *dst)
-{
-    int nr = 0;
-    char **lst = NULL;
-
-    if (param.len == 0)
-        return M_OPT_MISSING_PARAM;
-
-    struct bstr p = param;
-
-    while (p.len) {
-        bstr subopt, subparam;
-        int r = split_subconf(log, name, &p, &subopt, &subparam);
-        if (r < 0)
-            return r;
-        if (bstr_startswith0(p, ":"))
-            p = bstr_cut(p, 1);
-        else if (p.len > 0) {
-            mp_err(log, "Incorrect termination for '%.*s'\n", BSTR_P(subopt));
-            return M_OPT_INVALID;
-        }
-
-        if (dst) {
-            lst = talloc_realloc(NULL, lst, char *, 2 * (nr + 2));
-            lst[2 * nr] = bstrto0(lst, subopt);
-            lst[2 * nr + 1] = bstrto0(lst, subparam);
-            memset(&lst[2 * (nr + 1)], 0, 2 * sizeof(char *));
-            nr++;
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (dst)
-        VAL(dst) = lst;
-
-    return 1;
-}
-
-const m_option_type_t m_option_type_subconfig = {
-    .name = "Subconfig",
-    .flags = M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD,
-    .parse = parse_subconf,
-};
-
 #undef VAL
 
 // Split the string on the given split character.
@@ -3370,13 +3323,6 @@ const m_option_type_t m_option_type_alias = {
 const m_option_type_t m_option_type_removed = {
     .name  = "removed",
 };
-
-static int parse_dummy(struct mp_log *log, const m_option_t *opt,
-                       struct bstr name, struct bstr param, void *dst)
-{
-    return 1;
-}
-const m_option_type_t m_option_type_subopt_legacy = {
-    .name  = "legacy suboption",
-    .parse = parse_dummy,
+const m_option_type_t m_option_type_subconfig = {
+    .name = "Subconfig",
 };
diff --git a/options/m_option.h b/options/m_option.h
index 8faaad2133..8709d20bb2 100644
--- a/options/m_option.h
+++ b/options/m_option.h
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_choice;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_flags;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_msglevels;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_print_fn;
-extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_subconfig;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_imgfmt;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_fourcc;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_afmt;
@@ -63,11 +62,11 @@ extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_size_box;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_channels;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_aspect;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_node;
-extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_subopt_legacy;
 
 // Used internally by m_config.c
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_alias;
 extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_removed;
+extern const m_option_type_t m_option_type_subconfig;
 
 // Callback used by m_option_type_print_fn options.
 typedef void (*m_opt_print_fn)(struct mp_log *log);
@@ -407,16 +406,6 @@ struct m_option {
 
 // These flags are used to describe special parser capabilities or behavior.
 
-// Suboption parser flag.
-/** When this flag is set, m_option::p should point to another m_option
- *  array. Only the parse function will be called. If dst is set, it should
- *  create/update an array of char* containg opt/val pairs. The options in
- *  the child array will then be set automatically by the \ref Config.
- *  Also note that suboptions may be directly accessed by using
- *  -option:subopt blah.
- */
-#define M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD            (1 << 0)
-
 // Wildcard matching flag.
 /** If set the option type has a use for option names ending with a *
  *  (used for -aa*), this only affects the option name matching.
@@ -731,10 +720,4 @@ extern const char m_option_path_separator;
     {.name = optname, .type = &m_option_type_removed, .priv = msg, \
      .deprecation_message = "", .offset = -1}
 
-// Redirect a suboption (e.g. from --vo) to a global option. The redirection
-// is handled as a special case instead of being applied automatically.
-#define OPT_SUBOPT_LEGACY(optname, globalname) \
-    {.name = optname, .type = &m_option_type_subopt_legacy, .priv = globalname, \
-     .offset = -1}
-
 #endif /* MPLAYER_M_OPTION_H */
diff --git a/player/command.c b/player/command.c
index 3d56a56fca..36850a2c51 100644
--- a/player/command.c
+++ b/player/command.c
@@ -5552,8 +5552,7 @@ void command_init(struct MPContext *mpctx)
     for (int n = 0; n < num_opts; n++) {
         struct m_config_option *co = m_config_get_co_index(mpctx->mconfig, n);
         assert(co->name[0]);
-        if ((co->opt->flags & M_OPT_NOPROP) ||
-            (co->opt->type->flags & M_OPT_TYPE_HAS_CHILD))
+        if (co->opt->flags & M_OPT_NOPROP)
             continue;
 
         struct m_property prop = {0};