diff --git a/pre_commit/main.py b/pre_commit/main.py
index 8fd130f3..654e8f84 100644
--- a/pre_commit/main.py
+++ b/pre_commit/main.py
@@ -165,9 +165,6 @@ def main(argv=None):
     )
     _add_color_option(autoupdate_parser)
     _add_config_option(autoupdate_parser)
-    autoupdate_parser.add_argument(
-        '--tags-only', action='store_true', help='LEGACY: for compatibility',
-    )
     autoupdate_parser.add_argument(
         '--bleeding-edge', action='store_true',
         help=(
@@ -312,8 +309,6 @@ def main(argv=None):
         store.mark_config_used(args.config)
 
         if args.command == 'autoupdate':
-            if args.tags_only:
-                logger.warning('--tags-only is the default')
             return autoupdate(
                 args.config, store,
                 tags_only=not args.bleeding_edge,
diff --git a/tests/main_test.py b/tests/main_test.py
index b59d35ef..c2c7a865 100644
--- a/tests/main_test.py
+++ b/tests/main_test.py
@@ -190,8 +190,3 @@ def test_expected_fatal_error_no_git_repo(in_tmpdir, cap_out, mock_store_dir):
         'Is it installed, and are you in a Git repository directory?'
     )
     assert cap_out_lines[-1] == 'Check the log at {}'.format(log_file)
-
-
-def test_warning_on_tags_only(mock_commands, cap_out, mock_store_dir):
-    main.main(('autoupdate', '--tags-only'))
-    assert '--tags-only is the default' in cap_out.get()