diff --git a/lib/hexo/load_config.js b/lib/hexo/load_config.js
index c8c6f49425..81528e765c 100644
--- a/lib/hexo/load_config.js
+++ b/lib/hexo/load_config.js
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ const { exists, readdir } = require('hexo-fs');
 const { magenta } = require('picocolors');
 const { deepMerge } = require('hexo-util');
 const validateConfig = require('./validate_config');
-const { external_link: externalLinkDefaultCfg } = require('./default_config');
 
 module.exports = async ctx => {
   if (!ctx.env.init) return;
@@ -42,14 +41,6 @@ module.exports = async ctx => {
   // Remove any trailing '/'
   config.url = config.url.replace(/\/+$/, '');
 
-  // Deprecated: config.external_link boolean option will be removed in future
-  if (typeof config.external_link === 'boolean') {
-    config.external_link = {
-      ...externalLinkDefaultCfg,
-      enable: config.external_link
-    };
-  }
-
   ctx.public_dir = resolve(baseDir, config.public_dir) + sep;
   ctx.source_dir = resolve(baseDir, config.source_dir) + sep;
   ctx.source = new Source(ctx);
diff --git a/lib/hexo/validate_config.js b/lib/hexo/validate_config.js
index 1e3b1481ae..271b8eb30d 100644
--- a/lib/hexo/validate_config.js
+++ b/lib/hexo/validate_config.js
@@ -27,10 +27,5 @@ module.exports = ctx => {
   if (typeof config.use_date_for_updated === 'boolean') {
     log.warn('Deprecated config detected: "use_date_for_updated" is deprecated, please use "updated_option" instead. See https://hexo.io/docs/configuration for more details.');
   }
-
-  // Soft deprecate external_link Boolean
-  if (typeof config.external_link === 'boolean') {
-    log.warn('Deprecated config detected: "external_link" with a Boolean value is deprecated. See https://hexo.io/docs/configuration for more details.');
-  }
 };
 
diff --git a/test/scripts/hexo/load_config.js b/test/scripts/hexo/load_config.js
index a985db11ff..1d6d20f6c0 100644
--- a/test/scripts/hexo/load_config.js
+++ b/test/scripts/hexo/load_config.js
@@ -127,51 +127,6 @@ describe('Load config', () => {
     }
   });
 
-  // Deprecated: config.external_link boolean option will be removed in future
-  it('migrate external_link config from boolean to object - true', async () => {
-    const content = 'external_link: true';
-
-    try {
-      await writeFile(hexo.config_path, content);
-      await loadConfig(hexo);
-      hexo.config.external_link.should.eql({
-        enable: true,
-        field: 'site',
-        exclude: ''
-      });
-    } finally {
-      await unlink(hexo.config_path);
-    }
-  });
-
-  it('migrate external_link config from boolean to object - false', async () => {
-    const content = 'external_link: false';
-
-    try {
-      await writeFile(hexo.config_path, content);
-      await loadConfig(hexo);
-      hexo.config.external_link.should.eql({
-        enable: false,
-        field: 'site',
-        exclude: ''
-      });
-    } finally {
-      await unlink(hexo.config_path);
-    }
-  });
-
-  it('migrate external_link config from boolean to object - undefined', async () => {
-    try {
-      // Test undefined
-      await writeFile(hexo.config_path, '');
-
-      await loadConfig(hexo);
-      hexo.config.external_link.should.eql(defaultConfig.external_link);
-    } finally {
-      await unlink(hexo.config_path);
-    }
-  });
-
   it('custom public_dir', async () => {
     try {
       await writeFile(hexo.config_path, 'public_dir: foo');
diff --git a/test/scripts/hexo/validate_config.js b/test/scripts/hexo/validate_config.js
index 30622f345f..a86c2b6dc7 100644
--- a/test/scripts/hexo/validate_config.js
+++ b/test/scripts/hexo/validate_config.js
@@ -109,13 +109,4 @@ describe('Validate config', () => {
     logSpy.calledOnce.should.be.true;
     logSpy.calledWith('Deprecated config detected: "use_date_for_updated" is deprecated, please use "updated_option" instead. See https://hexo.io/docs/configuration for more details.').should.be.true;
   });
-
-  it('config.external_link - depreacte Boolean value', () => {
-    hexo.config.external_link = false;
-
-    validateConfig(hexo);
-
-    logSpy.calledOnce.should.be.true;
-    logSpy.calledWith('Deprecated config detected: "external_link" with a Boolean value is deprecated. See https://hexo.io/docs/configuration for more details.').should.be.true;
-  });
 });