diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index c605940d..904846f1 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -872,9 +872,6 @@ static int do_option(int optc, const char *arg)
     case 677:
         opt->o_unix.force_pie = true;
         break;
-    case 678:
-        opt->o_unix.assume_execute_permission = true;
-        break;
 
     case '\0':
         return -1;
@@ -1027,7 +1024,6 @@ static const struct mfx_option longopts[] =
     {"preserve-build-id",   0, 0, 675},
     {"android-shlib",       0, 0, 676},
     {"force-pie",           0, 0, 677},
-    {"assume-execute-permission", 0, 0, 678},
     // watcom/le
     {"le",               0x10, 0, 620},     // produce LE output
     // win32/pe
diff --git a/src/options.h b/src/options.h
index f15ffa71..267a415d 100644
--- a/src/options.h
+++ b/src/options.h
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ struct options_t {
         bool preserve_build_id;     // copy the build-id to the compressed binary
         bool android_shlib;         // keep some ElfXX_Shdr for dlopen()
         bool force_pie;             // choose DF_1_PIE instead of is_shlib
-        bool assume_execute_permission;  // do not check .st_mode for S_IXUSR
     } o_unix;
     struct {
         bool le;
diff --git a/src/p_unix.cpp b/src/p_unix.cpp
index ac31ee84..ccecb0cd 100644
--- a/src/p_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/p_unix.cpp
@@ -68,10 +68,11 @@ bool PackUnix::canPack()
     if (exetype == 0)
         return false;
 
+#if defined(__unix__) && !defined(__MSYS2__)
     // must be executable by owner
-    if (!opt->o_unix.assume_execute_permission  // benefits __MSYS2__
-    &&  (fi->st.st_mode & S_IXUSR) == 0)
+    if ((fi->st.st_mode & S_IXUSR) == 0)
         throwCantPack("file not executable; try 'chmod +x'");
+#endif
     if (file_size < 4096)
         throwCantPack("file is too small");