diff --git a/docs/reference/cinnamon/cinnamon-docs.sgml b/docs/reference/cinnamon/cinnamon-docs.sgml
index bd5bebd793..4e79c29933 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cinnamon/cinnamon-docs.sgml
+++ b/docs/reference/cinnamon/cinnamon-docs.sgml
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@
     <xi:include href="xml/cinnamon-tray-icon.xml"/>
     <xi:include href="xml/cinnamon-tray-manager.xml"/>
   </chapter>
-  <xi:include href="recorder.xml"/>
   <chapter>
     <title>Integration helpers and utilities</title>
     <xi:include href="xml/cinnamon-global.xml"/>
diff --git a/docs/reference/cinnamon/meson.build b/docs/reference/cinnamon/meson.build
index fec3ed34de..0123077f0e 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cinnamon/meson.build
+++ b/docs/reference/cinnamon/meson.build
@@ -7,23 +7,10 @@ ignore = [
     sniffer_headers,
 ]
 
-recorder_conf = configuration_data()
-
-if get_option('build_recorder')
-    recorder_conf.set('BUILD_RECORDER_XML_START', '-->')
-    recorder_conf.set('BUILD_RECORDER_XML_END', '<!--')
-else
-    recorder_conf.set('BUILD_RECORDER_XML_START', '')
-    recorder_conf.set('BUILD_RECORDER_XML_END', '')
+if not get_option('build_recorder')
     ignore += 'cinnamon-recorder.h'
 endif
 
-configure_file(
-    input: 'recorder.xml.in',
-    output: 'recorder.xml',
-    configuration: recorder_conf,
-)
-
 gnome.gtkdoc(
     'cinnamon',
     mode: 'xml',
diff --git a/docs/reference/cinnamon/recorder.xml.in b/docs/reference/cinnamon/recorder.xml.in
deleted file mode 100644
index 133c57bfac..0000000000
--- a/docs/reference/cinnamon/recorder.xml.in
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
-<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
-               "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd"
-[
-  <!ENTITY % local.common.attrib "xmlns:xi  CDATA  #FIXED 'http://www.w3.org/2003/XInclude'">
-]>
-  <!-- @BUILD_RECORDER_XML_START@
-  <chapter>
-    <title>Recorder</title>
-    <xi:include href="xml/cinnamon-recorder.xml"/>
-  </chapter>
-  @BUILD_RECORDER_XML_END@ -->