diff --git a/docs/reference/gdk/gdk3-sections.txt b/docs/reference/gdk/gdk3-sections.txt
index f3a35e5b77..d23183a3dd 100644
--- a/docs/reference/gdk/gdk3-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/gdk/gdk3-sections.txt
@@ -195,7 +195,6 @@ GdkScreen
 gdk_screen_get_default
 gdk_screen_get_system_visual
 gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual
-gdk_screen_get_preferred_visual
 gdk_screen_is_composited
 gdk_screen_get_root_window
 gdk_screen_get_display
diff --git a/docs/reference/gtk/running.sgml b/docs/reference/gtk/running.sgml
index c7d2d9bc9a..8065e194e8 100644
--- a/docs/reference/gtk/running.sgml
+++ b/docs/reference/gtk/running.sgml
@@ -478,15 +478,6 @@ nevertheless.
   </para>
 </formalpara>
 
-<formalpara>
-  <title><envar>GDK_RGBA</envar></title>
-
-  <para>
-    Since 3.12, this environment variable can be used to prevent
-    using RGBA visuals on the X11 backend by setting GDK_RGBA=0.
-  </para>
-</formalpara>
-
 <formalpara>
   <title><envar>XDG_DATA_HOME</envar>, <envar>XDG_DATA_DIRS</envar></title>
 
diff --git a/gdk/gdkscreen.c b/gdk/gdkscreen.c
index fef85cd907..d6ea6ca529 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkscreen.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkscreen.c
@@ -912,36 +912,6 @@ gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual (GdkScreen *screen)
   return GDK_SCREEN_GET_CLASS (screen)->get_rgba_visual (screen);
 }
 
-/**
- * gdk_screen_get_preferred_visual:
- * @screen: a #GdkScreen
- *
- * Returns the visual that is preferred when creating windows.
- *
- * This will be the visual returned by gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()
- * unless that is not available, or unless the environment
- * variable `GDK_RGBA` is set to `0`.
- *
- * Return value: (transfer none): the preferred visual to use
- *     for windows
- *
- * Since: 3.12
- */
-GdkVisual *
-gdk_screen_get_preferred_visual (GdkScreen *screen)
-{
-  GdkVisual *visual;
-
-  g_return_val_if_fail (GDK_IS_SCREEN (screen), NULL);
-
-  visual = gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual (screen);
-
-  if (visual == NULL || g_strcmp0 (g_getenv ("GDK_RGBA"), "0") == 0)
-    visual = gdk_screen_get_system_visual (screen);
-
-  return visual;
-}
-
 /**
  * gdk_screen_is_composited:
  * @screen: a #GdkScreen
diff --git a/gdk/gdkscreen.h b/gdk/gdkscreen.h
index 57d613245b..dde5524fa4 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkscreen.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkscreen.h
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 GdkVisual *  gdk_screen_get_system_visual     (GdkScreen   *screen);
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 GdkVisual *  gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual       (GdkScreen   *screen);
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_3_12
-GdkVisual *  gdk_screen_get_preferred_visual  (GdkScreen   *screen);
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 gboolean     gdk_screen_is_composited         (GdkScreen   *screen);
 
diff --git a/gdk/gdkscreenprivate.h b/gdk/gdkscreenprivate.h
index b73a0926f0..23cf1bdae2 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkscreenprivate.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkscreenprivate.h
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ struct _GdkScreenClass
   GList *      (* list_visuals)          (GdkScreen *screen);
   GdkVisual *  (* get_system_visual)     (GdkScreen *screen);
   GdkVisual *  (* get_rgba_visual)       (GdkScreen *screen);
-  GdkVisual *  (* get_preferred_visual)  (GdkScreen *screen);
   gboolean     (* is_composited)         (GdkScreen *screen);
   gchar *      (* make_display_name)     (GdkScreen *screen);
   GdkWindow *  (* get_active_window)     (GdkScreen *screen);
diff --git a/gtk/gtkwidget.c b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
index 03878669de..a5844b5c79 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkwidget.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
@@ -10880,14 +10880,9 @@ gtk_widget_get_visual (GtkWidget *widget)
           g_warning ("Ignoring visual set on widget `%s' that is not on the correct screen.",
                      gtk_widget_get_name (widget));
         }
+    }
 
-  visual = gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual (screen);
-
-  if (visual == NULL ||
-      g_strcmp0 (g_getenv ("GDK_RGBA"), "0") != 0)
-    visual = gdk_screen_get_system_visual (screen);
-
-  return visual;
+  return gdk_screen_get_system_visual (screen);
 }
 
 /**