diff --git a/.builds/alpine.yml b/.builds/alpine.yml
index 6ec7fe99..13221d25 100644
--- a/.builds/alpine.yml
+++ b/.builds/alpine.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ image: alpine/edge
 packages:
   - eudev-dev
   - ffmpeg-dev
-  - libcap-dev
   - libinput-dev
   - libxkbcommon-dev
   - mesa-dev
diff --git a/.builds/archlinux.yml b/.builds/archlinux.yml
index 11f0baaf..b3b1a3c0 100644
--- a/.builds/archlinux.yml
+++ b/.builds/archlinux.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ image: archlinux
 packages:
   - clang
   - ffmpeg
-  - libcap
   - libinput
   - libxkbcommon
   - mesa
diff --git a/.builds/freebsd.yml b/.builds/freebsd.yml
index 1934d8c7..a0dfc442 100644
--- a/.builds/freebsd.yml
+++ b/.builds/freebsd.yml
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ sources:
 tasks:
 - wlroots: |
     cd wlroots
-    meson build -Dauto_features=enabled -Dlogind=disabled -Dlibcap=disabled
+    meson build -Dauto_features=enabled -Dlogind=disabled
     ninja -C build
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f1929a66..bb534d82 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ Install dependencies:
 * pixman
 * systemd (optional, for logind support)
 * elogind (optional, for logind support on systems without systemd)
-* libcap (optional, for capability support)
 
 If you choose to enable X11 support:
 
diff --git a/backend/session/direct-ipc.c b/backend/session/direct-ipc.c
index 42ca00e1..94f34a88 100644
--- a/backend/session/direct-ipc.c
+++ b/backend/session/direct-ipc.c
@@ -24,23 +24,6 @@
 
 enum { DRM_MAJOR = 226 };
 
-#if WLR_HAS_LIBCAP
-#include <sys/capability.h>
-
-static bool have_permissions(void) {
-	cap_t cap = cap_get_proc();
-	cap_flag_value_t val;
-
-	if (!cap || cap_get_flag(cap, CAP_SYS_ADMIN, CAP_PERMITTED, &val) || val != CAP_SET) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Do not have CAP_SYS_ADMIN; cannot become DRM master");
-		cap_free(cap);
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	cap_free(cap);
-	return true;
-}
-#else
 static bool have_permissions(void) {
 #ifdef __linux__
 	if (geteuid() != 0) {
@@ -50,7 +33,6 @@ static bool have_permissions(void) {
 #endif
 	return true;
 }
-#endif
 
 static void send_msg(int sock, int fd, void *buf, size_t buf_len) {
 	char control[CMSG_SPACE(sizeof(fd))] = {0};
diff --git a/backend/session/meson.build b/backend/session/meson.build
index 65e4595d..81ff6d85 100644
--- a/backend/session/meson.build
+++ b/backend/session/meson.build
@@ -62,23 +62,3 @@ if logind_found
 	wlr_files += files('logind.c')
 	wlr_deps += logind
 endif
-
-# libcap
-
-msg = []
-if get_option('libcap').enabled()
-	msg += 'Install "libcap" or pass "-Dlibcap=disabled".'
-endif
-if not get_option('libcap').disabled()
-	msg += 'Required for POSIX capability support (Not needed if using logind).'
-endif
-
-libcap = dependency('libcap',
-	required: get_option('libcap'),
-	not_found_message: '\n'.join(msg),
-)
-if libcap.found()
-	conf_data.set10('WLR_HAS_LIBCAP', true)
-	wlr_deps += libcap
-endif
-
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8958ad16..1a160208 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ else
 endif
 
 conf_data = configuration_data()
-conf_data.set10('WLR_HAS_LIBCAP', false)
 conf_data.set10('WLR_HAS_SYSTEMD', false)
 conf_data.set10('WLR_HAS_ELOGIND', false)
 conf_data.set10('WLR_HAS_X11_BACKEND', false)
@@ -170,7 +169,6 @@ wlroots = declare_dependency(
 meson.override_dependency('wlroots', wlroots)
 
 summary({
-	'libcap': conf_data.get('WLR_HAS_LIBCAP', 0),
 	'systemd': conf_data.get('WLR_HAS_SYSTEMD', 0),
 	'elogind': conf_data.get('WLR_HAS_ELOGIND', 0),
 	'xwayland': conf_data.get('WLR_HAS_XWAYLAND', 0),
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index ae6f5c0b..894113e7 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-option('libcap', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Enable support for rootless session via capabilities (cap_sys_admin)')
 option('logind', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Enable support for rootless session via logind')
 option('logind-provider', type: 'combo', choices: ['auto', 'systemd', 'elogind'], value: 'auto', description: 'Provider of logind support library')
 option('xcb-errors', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Use xcb-errors util library')