diff --git a/legacy/elementary/configure.ac b/legacy/elementary/configure.ac
index 235d6b0364..c076de52d8 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/configure.ac
+++ b/legacy/elementary/configure.ac
@@ -55,14 +55,12 @@ dnl managed by evil
       dlopen_libs=-ldl
       requirement_elm="evil"
       have_socket="no"
-      default_engine=software_gdi
       ;;
    *solaris*)
       ELM_UNIX_DEF="#define"
       have_socket="yes"
       have_dlopen="yes"
       AC_CHECK_LIB([socket], [connect], [], [have_socket="no"])
-      default_engine=software_x11
       ;;
    darwin*)
       ELM_UNIX_DEF="#define"
@@ -70,7 +68,6 @@ dnl managed by evil
       have_dlopen="yes"
       AC_CHECK_HEADERS([crt_externs.h])
       AC_DEFINE([environ], [(*_NSGetEnviron())], ["apple doesn't follow POSIX in this case."])
-      default_engine=opengl_cocoa
       ;;
    *)
       ELM_UNIX_DEF="#define"
@@ -88,7 +85,6 @@ dnl managed by evil
         fi
       fi
       have_socket="yes"
-      default_engine=software_x11
       ;;
 esac
 
@@ -96,10 +92,6 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_RUN], [test "x$have_socket" = "xyes"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_MODULES], [test "x$have_dlopen" = "xyes"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_FREEBSD], [test "x${have_freebsd}" = "xyes"])
 
-AC_SUBST([default_engine])
-AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([DEFAULT_ENGINE], ["$default_engine"], ["Default engine according to host"])
-
-
 EFL_COMPILER_FLAG([-Wall -Wextra -Wpointer-arith -Wno-missing-field-initializers -fvisibility=hidden -fdata-sections -ffunction-sections])
 EFL_LINKER_FLAG([-fvisibility=hidden -fdata-sections -ffunction-sections -Wl,--gc-sections -fno-strict-aliasing -Wl,--as-needed -Wl,--no-copy-dt-needed-entries])
 
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c
index 424adcf23c..65cb2f25ed 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.c
@@ -1504,7 +1504,7 @@ _config_load(void)
    // config recovery app i guess...
    _elm_config = ELM_NEW(Elm_Config);
    _elm_config->config_version = ELM_CONFIG_VERSION;
-   _elm_config->engine = eina_stringshare_add(DEFAULT_ENGINE);
+   _elm_config->engine = NULL;
    _elm_config->accel = NULL;
    _elm_config->accel_override = 0;
    _elm_config->vsync = 0;
@@ -3342,10 +3342,7 @@ _elm_config_reload(void)
 void
 _elm_config_engine_set(const char *engine)
 {
-   if (_elm_config->engine && strcmp(_elm_config->engine, engine))
-     eina_stringshare_del(_elm_config->engine);
-
-   _elm_config->engine = eina_stringshare_add(engine);
+   eina_stringshare_replace(&(_elm_config->engine), engine);
 }
 
 EAPI const char *
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.h b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.h
index c17bf085b0..49956e9a2d 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.h
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_config.h
@@ -778,19 +778,10 @@ EAPI void      elm_config_password_show_last_timeout_set(double password_show_la
  * Elementary will use for drawing its windows' pixels.
  *
  * The following are the available engines:
- * @li "software_x11"
  * @li "fb"
- * @li "opengl_x11"
- * @li "software_gdi"
- * @li "sdl"
- * @li "opengl_sdl"
  * @li "buffer"
  * @li "ews"
- * @li "opengl_cocoa"
- * @li "psl1ght"
- * @li "wayland_shm"
- * @li "wayland_egl"
- * @li "drm"
+ * @li NULL - no engine config
  *
  * @deprecated Please use elm_config_accel_preference_override_set() instead
  *
@@ -807,10 +798,8 @@ EAPI void      elm_config_password_show_last_timeout_set(double password_show_la
  * applications.
  *
  * @see elm_config_engine_set()
- * 
- * @deprecated Please use elm_config_accel_preference_override_get() instead
  */
-EINA_DEPRECATED EAPI const char *elm_config_engine_get(void);
+EAPI const char *elm_config_engine_get(void);
 
 /**
  * @brief Set Elementary's rendering engine for use.
@@ -821,10 +810,8 @@ EINA_DEPRECATED EAPI const char *elm_config_engine_get(void);
  * this is called.
  *
  * @see elm_win_add()
- * 
- * @deprecated Please use elm_config_accel_preference_override_set() instead
  */
-EINA_DEPRECATED EAPI void        elm_config_engine_set(const char *engine);
+EAPI void        elm_config_engine_set(const char *engine);
 
 /**
  * @brief Get Elementary's preferred engine to use.
@@ -837,10 +824,8 @@ EINA_DEPRECATED EAPI void        elm_config_engine_set(const char *engine);
  * override the engine configured for all applications which.
  *
  * @see elm_config_preferred_engine_set()
- * 
- * @deprecated Please use elm_config_accel_preference_override_get() instead
  */
-EINA_DEPRECATED EAPI const char *elm_config_preferred_engine_get(void);
+EAPI const char *elm_config_preferred_engine_get(void);
 
 /**
  * @brief Set Elementary's preferred rendering engine for use.
@@ -852,10 +837,8 @@ EINA_DEPRECATED EAPI const char *elm_config_preferred_engine_get(void);
  * application startup. Note that it is a hint and may not be honored.
  *
  * @see elm_win_add()
- * 
- * @deprecated Please use elm_config_accel_preference_override_set() instead
  */
-EINA_DEPRECATED EAPI void        elm_config_preferred_engine_set(const char *engine);
+EAPI void        elm_config_preferred_engine_set(const char *engine);
 
 /**
  * @brief Get Elementary's preferred engine to use.
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elu_ews_wm.c b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elu_ews_wm.c
index 30e168a0cb..a825441581 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elu_ews_wm.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elu_ews_wm.c
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ _elm_ews_wm_init(void)
    Evas *e;
    Evas_Object *o;
 
-   if (strcmp(_elm_config->engine, ELM_EWS) != 0)
+   if ((!_elm_config->engine) || (!strcmp(_elm_config->engine, ELM_EWS)))
      {
         _ews_used = EINA_FALSE;
         return EINA_TRUE;