diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/StarlarkSemanticsOptions.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/StarlarkSemanticsOptions.java
index 02981d0..a540379 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/StarlarkSemanticsOptions.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/StarlarkSemanticsOptions.java
@@ -265,20 +265,6 @@
   public boolean experimentalSiblingRepositoryLayout;
 
   @Option(
-      name = "incompatible_bzl_disallow_load_after_statement",
-      defaultValue = "true",
-      documentationCategory = OptionDocumentationCategory.STARLARK_SEMANTICS,
-      effectTags = {OptionEffectTag.BUILD_FILE_SEMANTICS},
-      metadataTags = {
-        OptionMetadataTag.INCOMPATIBLE_CHANGE,
-        OptionMetadataTag.TRIGGERED_BY_ALL_INCOMPATIBLE_CHANGES
-      },
-      help =
-          "If set to true, all `load` must be called at the top of .bzl files, before any other "
-              + "statement.")
-  public boolean incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement;
-
-  @Option(
       name = "experimental_allow_tags_propagation",
       oldName = "incompatible_allow_tags_propagation",
       defaultValue = "false",
@@ -706,7 +692,6 @@
             .experimentalDisableExternalPackage(experimentalDisableExternalPackage)
             .experimentalSiblingRepositoryLayout(experimentalSiblingRepositoryLayout)
             .incompatibleApplicableLicenses(incompatibleApplicableLicenses)
-            .incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement(incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement)
             .incompatibleDepsetUnion(incompatibleDepsetUnion)
             .incompatibleDisableTargetProviderFields(incompatibleDisableTargetProviderFields)
             .incompatibleDisableThirdPartyLicenseChecking(
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/StarlarkSemantics.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/StarlarkSemantics.java
index ffcd0a8..28c7dd7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/StarlarkSemantics.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/StarlarkSemantics.java
@@ -220,8 +220,6 @@
 
   public abstract boolean incompatibleApplicableLicenses();
 
-  public abstract boolean incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement();
-
   public abstract boolean incompatibleDepsetUnion();
 
   public abstract boolean incompatibleDisableTargetProviderFields();
@@ -328,7 +326,6 @@
           .experimentalSiblingRepositoryLayout(false)
           .incompatibleAlwaysCheckDepsetElements(true)
           .incompatibleApplicableLicenses(false)
-          .incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement(true)
           .incompatibleDepsetUnion(true)
           .incompatibleDisableTargetProviderFields(false)
           .incompatibleDisableThirdPartyLicenseChecking(true)
@@ -400,8 +397,6 @@
 
     public abstract Builder incompatibleApplicableLicenses(boolean value);
 
-    public abstract Builder incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement(boolean value);
-
     public abstract Builder incompatibleDepsetUnion(boolean value);
 
     public abstract Builder incompatibleDisableTargetProviderFields(boolean value);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationEnvironment.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationEnvironment.java
index 5b8d0ed..15afd2a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationEnvironment.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationEnvironment.java
@@ -446,9 +446,7 @@
             statement.getStartLocation(),
             "load() statements must be called before any other statement. "
                 + "First non-load() statement appears at "
-                + firstStatement
-                + ". Use --incompatible_bzl_disallow_load_after_statement=false to temporarily "
-                + "disable this check.");
+                + firstStatement);
       }
 
       if (firstStatement == null) {
@@ -459,7 +457,7 @@
 
   private void validateToplevelStatements(List<Statement> statements) {
     // Check that load() statements are on top.
-    if (!isBuildFile && semantics.incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement()) {
+    if (!isBuildFile) {
       checkLoadAfterStatement(statements);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/SkylarkSemanticsConsistencyTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/SkylarkSemanticsConsistencyTest.java
index 099e33f..e80bf34 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/SkylarkSemanticsConsistencyTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/SkylarkSemanticsConsistencyTest.java
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@
         "--experimental_repo_remote_exec=" + rand.nextBoolean(),
         "--incompatible_always_check_depset_elements=" + rand.nextBoolean(),
         "--incompatible_applicable_licenses=" + rand.nextBoolean(),
-        "--incompatible_bzl_disallow_load_after_statement=" + rand.nextBoolean(),
         "--incompatible_depset_for_libraries_to_link_getter=" + rand.nextBoolean(),
         "--incompatible_depset_union=" + rand.nextBoolean(),
         "--incompatible_disable_target_provider_fields=" + rand.nextBoolean(),
@@ -197,7 +196,6 @@
         .experimentalRepoRemoteExec(rand.nextBoolean())
         .incompatibleAlwaysCheckDepsetElements(rand.nextBoolean())
         .incompatibleApplicableLicenses(rand.nextBoolean())
-        .incompatibleBzlDisallowLoadAfterStatement(rand.nextBoolean())
         .incompatibleDepsetForLibrariesToLinkGetter(rand.nextBoolean())
         .incompatibleDepsetUnion(rand.nextBoolean())
         .incompatibleDisableTargetProviderFields(rand.nextBoolean())
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationTest.java
index 7f2aa10..efadf48 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ValidationTest.java
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@
 
   @Test
   public void testLoadAfterStatement() throws Exception {
-    setSemantics("--incompatible_bzl_disallow_load_after_statement=true");
     assertInvalid(
         "load() statements must be called before any other statement", //
         "a = 5",
@@ -98,14 +97,6 @@
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void testAllowLoadAfterStatement() throws Exception {
-    setSemantics("--incompatible_bzl_disallow_load_after_statement=false");
-    assertValid(
-        "a = 5", //
-        "load(':b.bzl', 'c')");
-  }
-
-  @Test
   public void testLoadDuplicateSymbols() throws Exception {
     assertInvalid(
         "load statement defines 'x' more than once", //