diff --git a/odissey.conf b/odissey.conf
index c0e43c98..c0d93d5a 100644
--- a/odissey.conf
+++ b/odissey.conf
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ odissey {
 	}
 
 	routing {
-		mode "forward"
 		"test" {
 			server "default"
 			ttl 5
diff --git a/src/od_config.c b/src/od_config.c
index a6070195..e04c7807 100644
--- a/src/od_config.c
+++ b/src/od_config.c
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ static od_keyword_t od_config_keywords[] =
 	/* routing */
 	od_keyword("routing",         OD_LROUTING),
 	od_keyword("default",         OD_LDEFAULT),
-	od_keyword("mode",            OD_LMODE),
 	od_keyword("database",        OD_LDATABASE),
 	od_keyword("user",            OD_LUSER),
 	od_keyword("password",        OD_LPASSWORD),
@@ -470,12 +469,6 @@ od_config_parse_routing(od_config_t *config)
 	{
 		rc = od_lex_pop(&config->lex, &tk);
 		switch (rc) {
-		/* mode */
-		case OD_LMODE:
-			if (od_config_next(config, OD_LSTRING, &tk) == -1)
-				return -1;
-			config->scheme->routing = tk->v.string;
-			continue;
 		/* route (database name) */
 		case OD_LSTRING:
 			rc = od_config_parse_route(config, tk);
diff --git a/src/od_scheme.c b/src/od_scheme.c
index ebb272a3..6c61e4d3 100644
--- a/src/od_scheme.c
+++ b/src/od_scheme.c
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ void od_scheme_init(od_scheme_t *scheme)
 	scheme->tls_protocols = NULL;
 	scheme->pooling = NULL;
 	scheme->pooling_mode = OD_PUNDEF;
-	scheme->routing = NULL;
-	scheme->routing_mode = OD_RUNDEF;
 	scheme->routing_default = NULL;
 	scheme->server_id = 0;
 	scheme->users_default = NULL;
@@ -201,19 +199,6 @@ int od_scheme_validate(od_scheme_t *scheme, od_log_t *log)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	/* routing mode */
-	if (scheme->routing == NULL) {
-		od_error(log, "config", "routing mode is not set");
-		return -1;
-	}
-	if (strcmp(scheme->routing, "forward") == 0)
-		scheme->routing_mode = OD_RFORWARD;
-
-	if (scheme->routing_mode == OD_RUNDEF) {
-		od_error(log, "config", "unknown routing mode");
-		return -1;
-	}
-
 	/* listen */
 	if (scheme->host == NULL)
 		scheme->host = "*";
@@ -434,7 +419,6 @@ void od_scheme_print(od_scheme_t *scheme, od_log_t *log)
 	}
 	od_log(log, "");
 	od_log(log, "routing");
-	od_log(log, "  mode %s", scheme->routing);
 	od_list_foreach(&scheme->routing_table, i) {
 		od_schemeroute_t *route;
 		route = od_container_of(i, od_schemeroute_t, link);
diff --git a/src/od_scheme.h b/src/od_scheme.h
index d0e27354..58107a60 100644
--- a/src/od_scheme.h
+++ b/src/od_scheme.h
@@ -19,12 +19,6 @@ typedef enum
 	OD_PTRANSACTION
 } od_pooling_t;
 
-typedef enum
-{
-	OD_RUNDEF,
-	OD_RFORWARD
-} od_routing_t;
-
 typedef enum
 {
 	OD_AUNDEF,
@@ -126,8 +120,6 @@ struct od_scheme
 	/* servers */
 	od_list_t         servers;
 	/* routing */
-	char             *routing;
-	od_routing_t      routing_mode;
 	od_schemeroute_t *routing_default;
 	od_list_t         routing_table;
 	/* users */