diff --git a/src/sbbs3/ntsvcs.c b/src/sbbs3/ntsvcs.c
index 018823008e8b2e664aa88b03e2589891d42b15c2..364b2c9efd308544b9c310a56f5ae1311eba3ef6 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/ntsvcs.c
+++ b/src/sbbs3/ntsvcs.c
@@ -218,17 +218,7 @@ static void svc_ctrl_handler(sbbs_ntsvc_t* svc, DWORD dwCtrlCode)
 /* Service-specific control handler stub functions */
 static void WINAPI bbs_ctrl_handler(DWORD dwCtrlCode)
 {
-	switch(dwCtrlCode) {
-		case SERVICE_CONTROL_SYSOP_AVAILABLE:
-			bbs_startup.options|=BBS_OPT_SYSOP_AVAILABLE;
-			break;
-		case SERVICE_CONTROL_SYSOP_UNAVAILABLE:
-			bbs_startup.options&=~BBS_OPT_SYSOP_AVAILABLE;
-			break;
-		default:
-			svc_ctrl_handler(&bbs, dwCtrlCode);
-			break;
-	}
+	svc_ctrl_handler(&bbs, dwCtrlCode);
 }
 
 static void WINAPI ftp_ctrl_handler(DWORD dwCtrlCode)
diff --git a/src/sbbs3/sbbs_ini.c b/src/sbbs3/sbbs_ini.c
index 559bea07152b6452caa4f9afa33276aabc9f1d46..3db499446f30a744b1fab216bf6bbc0b4822cb75 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/sbbs_ini.c
+++ b/src/sbbs3/sbbs_ini.c
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ void sbbs_read_ini(
 			=iniGetLogLevel(list,section,strLogLevel,global->log_level);
 		bbs->options
 			=iniGetBitField(list,section,strOptions,bbs_options
-				,BBS_OPT_XTRN_MINIMIZED|BBS_OPT_SYSOP_AVAILABLE);
+				,BBS_OPT_XTRN_MINIMIZED);
 
 		bbs->bind_retry_count=iniGetInteger(list,section,strBindRetryCount,global->bind_retry_count);
 		bbs->bind_retry_delay=iniGetInteger(list,section,strBindRetryDelay,global->bind_retry_delay);
diff --git a/src/sbbs3/sbbscon.c b/src/sbbs3/sbbscon.c
index 92e20fadd7c9112755dcf55c8d3209a5eb93e717..cf81f118dc9c2734929ff17deb57a2e93651b7a3 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/sbbscon.c
+++ b/src/sbbs3/sbbscon.c
@@ -191,7 +191,6 @@ static const char* telnet_usage  = "Terminal server settings:\n\n"
 							"\tto<value>  set Terminal server options value (advanced)\n"
 							"\tta         enable auto-logon via IP address\n"
 							"\ttd         enable Telnet command debug output\n"
-							"\ttc         enable sysop availability for chat\n"
 							"\ttq         disable QWK events\n"
 							"\tt-         disable Terminal server\n"
 							;
@@ -1642,9 +1641,6 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 					case 'Q': /* No QWK events */
 						bbs_startup.options|=BBS_OPT_NO_QWK_EVENTS;
 						break;
-					case 'C': /* Sysop available for chat */
-						bbs_startup.options|=BBS_OPT_SYSOP_AVAILABLE;
-						break;
 					case 'O': /* Set options */
 						bbs_startup.options=strtoul(arg,NULL,0);
 						break;
diff --git a/src/sbbs3/startup.h b/src/sbbs3/startup.h
index 4359b455f91b1d0f9caad88d1b9d66334ac48504..cbec17cc6599fecb024b8ae6dd71524db547cd1e 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/startup.h
+++ b/src/sbbs3/startup.h
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ static struct init_field {
 #define BBS_OPT_XTRN_MINIMIZED		(1<<1)	/* Run externals minimized			*/
 #define BBS_OPT_AUTO_LOGON			(1<<2)	/* Auto-logon via IP				*/
 #define BBS_OPT_DEBUG_TELNET		(1<<3)	/* Debug telnet commands			*/
-#define BBS_OPT_SYSOP_AVAILABLE		(1<<4)	/* Available for chat				*/
+#define BBS_OPT_SYSOP_AVAILABLE		(1<<4)	/* Available for chat - DEPRECATED (controlled via semfile) */
 #define BBS_OPT_ALLOW_RLOGIN		(1<<5)	/* Allow logins via BSD RLogin		*/
 #define BBS_OPT_USE_2ND_RLOGIN		(1<<6)	/* Use 2nd username in BSD RLogin - DEPRECATED (Always enabled)	*/
 #define BBS_OPT_NO_QWK_EVENTS		(1<<7)	/* Don't run QWK-related events		*/