diff --git a/Remote/Helper/Ssh.hs b/Remote/Helper/Ssh.hs
index a33c2c1bb5..32287b7c14 100644
--- a/Remote/Helper/Ssh.hs
+++ b/Remote/Helper/Ssh.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {- git-annex remote access with ssh and git-annex-shell
  -
- - Copyright 2011-2018 Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>
+ - Copyright 2011-2022 Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>
  -
  - Licensed under the GNU AGPL version 3 or higher.
  -}
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import qualified P2P.IO as P2P
 import qualified P2P.Annex as P2P
 
 import Control.Concurrent.STM
-import Control.Concurrent.Async
 
 toRepo :: ConsumeStdin -> Git.Repo -> RemoteGitConfig -> SshCommand -> Annex (FilePath, [CommandParam])
 toRepo cs r gc remotecmd = do
@@ -178,18 +177,15 @@ rsyncParams r direction = do
 	gc = gitconfig r
 
 -- A connection over ssh to git-annex shell speaking the P2P protocol.
-type P2PSshConnection = P2P.ClosableConnection
-	(P2P.RunState, P2P.P2PConnection, ProcessHandle, TVar StderrHandlerState)
-
-data StderrHandlerState = DiscardStderr | DisplayStderr | EndStderrHandler
+type P2PSshConnection = P2P.ClosableConnection 
+	(P2P.RunState, P2P.P2PConnection, ProcessHandle)
 
 closeP2PSshConnection :: P2PSshConnection -> IO (P2PSshConnection, Maybe ExitCode)
 closeP2PSshConnection P2P.ClosedConnection = return (P2P.ClosedConnection, Nothing)
-closeP2PSshConnection (P2P.OpenConnection (_st, conn, pid, stderrhandlerst)) =
+closeP2PSshConnection (P2P.OpenConnection (_st, conn, pid)) =
 	-- mask async exceptions, avoid cleanup being interrupted
 	uninterruptibleMask_ $ do
 		P2P.closeConnection conn
-		atomically $ writeTVar stderrhandlerst EndStderrHandler
 		exitcode <- waitForProcess pid
 		return (P2P.ClosedConnection, Just exitcode)
 
@@ -244,11 +240,10 @@ openP2PSshConnection r connpool = do
 		Just (cmd, params) -> start cmd params =<< getRepo r
   where
 	start cmd params repo = liftIO $ do
-		(Just from, Just to, Just err, pid) <- createProcess $
+		(Just from, Just to, Nothing, pid) <- createProcess $
 			(proc cmd (toCommand params))
 				{ std_in = CreatePipe
 				, std_out = CreatePipe
-				, std_err = CreatePipe
 				}
 		pidnum <- getPid pid
 		let conn = P2P.P2PConnection
@@ -259,17 +254,14 @@ openP2PSshConnection r connpool = do
 			, P2P.connIdent = P2P.ConnIdent $
 				Just $ "ssh connection " ++ show pidnum
 			}
-		stderrhandlerst <- newStderrHandler err pid
 		runst <- P2P.mkRunState P2P.Client
-		let c = P2P.OpenConnection (runst, conn, pid, stderrhandlerst)
+		let c = P2P.OpenConnection (runst, conn, pid)
 		-- When the connection is successful, the remote
 		-- will send an AUTH_SUCCESS with its uuid.
 		let proto = P2P.postAuth $
 			P2P.negotiateProtocolVersion P2P.maxProtocolVersion
 		tryNonAsync (P2P.runNetProto runst conn proto) >>= \case
-			Right (Right (Just theiruuid)) | theiruuid == uuid r -> do
-				atomically $ 
-					writeTVar stderrhandlerst DisplayStderr
+			Right (Right (Just theiruuid)) | theiruuid == uuid r ->
 				return $ Just c
 			_ -> do
 				(cclosed, exitcode) <- closeP2PSshConnection c
@@ -284,25 +276,6 @@ openP2PSshConnection r connpool = do
 		modifyTVar' connpool $
 			maybe (Just P2PSshUnsupported) Just
 
-newStderrHandler :: Handle -> ProcessHandle -> IO (TVar StderrHandlerState)
-newStderrHandler errh ph = do
-	-- stderr from git-annex-shell p2pstdio is initially discarded
-	-- because old versions don't support the command. Once it's known
-	-- to be running, this is changed to DisplayStderr.
-	v <- newTVarIO DiscardStderr
-	void $ async $ go v
-	return v
-  where
-	go v = do
-		hGetLineUntilExitOrEOF ph errh >>= \case
-			Nothing -> hClose errh
-			Just l -> atomically (readTVar v) >>= \case
-				DiscardStderr -> go v
-				DisplayStderr -> do
-					hPutStrLn stderr l
-					go v
-				EndStderrHandler -> hClose errh
-
 -- Runs a P2P Proto action on a remote when it supports that,
 -- otherwise the fallback action.
 runProto :: Remote -> P2PSshConnectionPool -> Annex a -> P2P.Proto a -> Annex (Maybe a)
@@ -319,7 +292,7 @@ runProto r connpool onerr proto = Just <$>
 
 runProtoConn :: P2P.Proto a -> P2PSshConnection -> Annex (P2PSshConnection, Maybe a)
 runProtoConn _ P2P.ClosedConnection = return (P2P.ClosedConnection, Nothing)
-runProtoConn a conn@(P2P.OpenConnection (runst, c, _, _)) = do
+runProtoConn a conn@(P2P.OpenConnection (runst, c, _)) = do
 	P2P.runFullProto runst c a >>= \case
 		Right r -> return (conn, Just r)
 		-- When runFullProto fails, the connection is no longer