diff --git a/src/core/config/mac.h b/src/core/config/mac.h
index 74c937eaf..540bba47e 100644
--- a/src/core/config/mac.h
+++ b/src/core/config/mac.h
@@ -373,15 +373,6 @@
 #define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_ENERGY_SCAN_ENABLE 0
 #endif
 
-/**
- * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RX_ON_WHEN_IDLE_ENABLE
- *
- * Define to 1 to enable software rx off when idle switching.
- */
-#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RX_ON_WHEN_IDLE_ENABLE
-#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RX_ON_WHEN_IDLE_ENABLE 0
-#endif
-
 /**
  * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RETX_SECURITY_ENABLE
  *
diff --git a/src/core/config/openthread-core-config-check.h b/src/core/config/openthread-core-config-check.h
index fc43c7b0d..ed584ab40 100644
--- a/src/core/config/openthread-core-config-check.h
+++ b/src/core/config/openthread-core-config-check.h
@@ -707,4 +707,9 @@
        "It was originally implemented as a provisional solution for the wake mechanism."
 #endif
 
+#ifdef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RX_ON_WHEN_IDLE_ENABLE
+#error "OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RX_ON_WHEN_IDLE_ENABLE was removed. " \
+       "Software support for RxOnWhenIdle in SubMac was never implemented."
+#endif
+
 #endif // OT_CORE_CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_CORE_CONFIG_CHECK_H_
diff --git a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp
index 8227e651d..b7b86a30c 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ SubMac::Capabilities SubMac::GetCaps(void) const
 #endif
     {
         caps |= (kCapAckTimeout | kCapCsmaBackoff | kCapTransmitRetries | kCapEnergyScan | kCapTransmitSec |
-                 kCapTransmitTiming | kCapReceiveTiming | kCapRxOnWhenIdle);
+                 kCapTransmitTiming | kCapReceiveTiming);
     }
 
     return caps;
diff --git a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp
index 4a07483d9..5c12a3aad 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp
@@ -521,7 +521,6 @@ private:
         ConditionalCap(kCapTransmitSec, OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_TX_SECURITY_ENABLE) |
         ConditionalCap(kCapTransmitTiming, OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_TX_TIMING_ENABLE) |
         ConditionalCap(kCapReceiveTiming, OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RX_TIMING_ENABLE) |
-        ConditionalCap(kCapRxOnWhenIdle, OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SOFTWARE_RX_ON_WHEN_IDLE_ENABLE) |
         ConditionalCap(kCapSleepToTx, OPENTHREAD_RADIO);
 
 #undef ConditionalCap