diff --git a/Help/policy/CMP0046.rst b/Help/policy/CMP0046.rst
index 6e9bc72be6..cf459456dd 100644
--- a/Help/policy/CMP0046.rst
+++ b/Help/policy/CMP0046.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 CMP0046
 -------
 
+.. |REMOVED_IN_CMAKE_VERSION| replace:: 4.0
+.. include:: REMOVED_PROLOGUE.txt
+
 Error on non-existent dependency in add_dependencies.
 
 CMake 2.8.12 and lower silently ignored non-existent dependencies
@@ -12,7 +15,5 @@ if non-existent dependencies are listed in the :command:`add_dependencies`
 command.
 
 .. |INTRODUCED_IN_CMAKE_VERSION| replace:: 3.0
-.. |WARNS_OR_DOES_NOT_WARN| replace:: warns
-.. include:: STANDARD_ADVICE.txt
-
-.. include:: DEPRECATED.txt
+.. |WARNED_OR_DID_NOT_WARN| replace:: warned
+.. include:: REMOVED_EPILOGUE.txt
diff --git a/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx b/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx
index bb5508c81e..3cc1500663 100644
--- a/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@
 #include "cmLocalGenerator.h"
 #include "cmMakefile.h"
 #include "cmMessageType.h"
-#include "cmPolicies.h"
 #include "cmRange.h"
 #include "cmSourceFile.h"
 #include "cmSourceFileLocationKind.h"
 #include "cmState.h"
 #include "cmStateTypes.h"
+#include "cmStringAlgorithms.h"
 #include "cmSystemTools.h"
 #include "cmTarget.h"
 #include "cmTargetDepend.h"
@@ -353,29 +353,11 @@ void cmComputeTargetDepends::AddTargetDepend(size_t depender_index,
 
   if (!dependee && !linking &&
       (depender->GetType() != cmStateEnums::GLOBAL_TARGET)) {
-    MessageType messageType = MessageType::AUTHOR_WARNING;
-    bool issueMessage = false;
-    std::ostringstream e;
-    switch (depender->GetPolicyStatusCMP0046()) {
-      case cmPolicies::WARN:
-        e << cmPolicies::GetPolicyWarning(cmPolicies::CMP0046) << "\n";
-        issueMessage = true;
-        CM_FALLTHROUGH;
-      case cmPolicies::OLD:
-        break;
-      case cmPolicies::NEW:
-        issueMessage = true;
-        messageType = MessageType::FATAL_ERROR;
-        break;
-    }
-    if (issueMessage) {
-      cmake* cm = this->GlobalGenerator->GetCMakeInstance();
-
-      e << "The dependency target \"" << dependee_name << "\" of target \""
-        << depender->GetName() << "\" does not exist.";
-
-      cm->IssueMessage(messageType, e.str(), dependee_name.Backtrace);
-    }
+    this->GlobalGenerator->GetCMakeInstance()->IssueMessage(
+      MessageType::FATAL_ERROR,
+      cmStrCat("The dependency target \"", dependee_name.AsStr(),
+               "\" of target \"", depender->GetName(), "\" does not exist."),
+      dependee_name.Backtrace);
   }
 
   // Skip targets that will not really be linked.  This is probably a
diff --git a/Source/cmPolicies.h b/Source/cmPolicies.h
index 173dec6b9f..8901277a2b 100644
--- a/Source/cmPolicies.h
+++ b/Source/cmPolicies.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class cmMakefile;
          NEW)                                                                 \
   SELECT(POLICY, CMP0046,                                                     \
          "Error on non-existent dependency in add_dependencies.", 3, 0, 0,    \
-         WARN)                                                                \
+         NEW)                                                                 \
   SELECT(POLICY, CMP0047, "Use QCC compiler id for the qcc drivers on QNX.",  \
          3, 0, 0, WARN)                                                       \
   SELECT(POLICY, CMP0048, "project() command manages VERSION variables.", 3,  \
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate-result.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate-result.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 573541ac97..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate-result.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-0
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate-stderr.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index fb31d6d6e2..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate-stderr.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-CMake Warning \(dev\) at CMP0046-Duplicate.cmake:5 \(add_dependencies\):
-  Policy CMP0046 is not set: Error on non-existent dependency in
-  add_dependencies.  Run "cmake --help-policy CMP0046" for policy details.
-  Use the cmake_policy command to set the policy and suppress this warning.
-
-  The dependency target "ctgt_no_exist" of target "dummy" does not exist.
-Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
-  CMP0046-Duplicate.cmake:8 \(add_dep\)
-  CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)
-This warning is for project developers.  Use -Wno-dev to suppress it.
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 26e640b9df..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-Duplicate.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-
-add_library(dummy empty.cpp)
-
-macro(add_dep)
-  add_dependencies(dummy ctgt_no_exist)
-endmacro()
-
-add_dep()
-add_dep()
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-existing-dependency.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-existing-dependency.cmake
index 0be290a8d8..245d0237cd 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-existing-dependency.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-existing-dependency.cmake
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-cmake_policy(SET CMP0046 NEW)
-
 add_custom_target(foo)
 add_custom_target(bar)
 add_dependencies(foo bar)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency-stderr.txt
index 381647ff88..09f08d7e9e 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency-stderr.txt
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency-stderr.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-CMake Error at CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency.cmake:4 \(add_dependencies\):
+CMake Error at CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency.cmake:[0-9]+ \(add_dependencies\):
   The dependency target "bar" of target "foo" does not exist.
 Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
   CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency.cmake
index 9bb6b90c8e..896fa40f66 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency.cmake
@@ -1,4 +1,2 @@
-cmake_policy(SET CMP0046 NEW)
-
 add_custom_target(foo)
 add_dependencies(foo bar)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency-stderr.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 4444118952..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency-stderr.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-^CMake Deprecation Warning at CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency.cmake:1 \(cmake_policy\):
-  The OLD behavior for policy CMP0046 will be removed from a future version
-  of CMake.
-
-  The cmake-policies\(7\) manual explains that the OLD behaviors of all
-  policies are deprecated and that a policy should be set to OLD only under
-  specific short-term circumstances.  Projects should be ported to the NEW
-  behavior and not rely on setting a policy to OLD.
-Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
-  CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)$
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index b22ab4fb97..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-cmake_policy(SET CMP0046 OLD)
-
-add_custom_target(foo)
-add_custom_target(bar)
-add_dependencies(foo bar)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency-stderr.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 525954f63b..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency-stderr.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-^CMake Deprecation Warning at CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency.cmake:1 \(cmake_policy\):
-  The OLD behavior for policy CMP0046 will be removed from a future version
-  of CMake.
-
-  The cmake-policies\(7\) manual explains that the OLD behaviors of all
-  policies are deprecated and that a policy should be set to OLD only under
-  specific short-term circumstances.  Projects should be ported to the NEW
-  behavior and not rely on setting a policy to OLD.
-Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
-  CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)$
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ee3cb75eb..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-cmake_policy(SET CMP0046 OLD)
-
-add_custom_target(foo)
-add_dependencies(foo bar)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency-stderr.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index fed36f16eb..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency-stderr.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-CMake Warning \(dev\) at CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency.cmake:2 \(add_dependencies\):
-  Policy CMP0046 is not set: Error on non-existent dependency in
-  add_dependencies.  Run "cmake --help-policy CMP0046" for policy details.
-  Use the cmake_policy command to set the policy and suppress this warning.
-+
-  The dependency target "bar" of target "foo" does not exist.
-Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
-  CMakeLists.txt:3 \(include\)
-This warning is for project developers.  Use -Wno-dev to suppress it.
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 896fa40f66..0000000000
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-add_custom_target(foo)
-add_dependencies(foo bar)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMakeLists.txt
index a06591c31f..c814f14935 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.12)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
 project(${RunCMake_TEST} CXX)
 include(${RunCMake_TEST}.cmake)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/RunCMakeTest.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/RunCMakeTest.cmake
index 86b749aacc..f4e22e3a37 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/RunCMakeTest.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/CMP0046/RunCMakeTest.cmake
@@ -1,10 +1,4 @@
 include(RunCMake)
-set(RunCMake_IGNORE_POLICY_VERSION_DEPRECATION ON)
 
-run_cmake(CMP0046-OLD-missing-dependency)
 run_cmake(CMP0046-NEW-missing-dependency)
-run_cmake(CMP0046-WARN-missing-dependency)
-
-run_cmake(CMP0046-OLD-existing-dependency)
 run_cmake(CMP0046-NEW-existing-dependency)
-run_cmake(CMP0046-Duplicate)