diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/config.h b/usr.sbin/config/config.h
index 216aa93115b0..d1ba1ed943eb 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/config.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/config.h
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ struct file_list {
 	char	*f_compilewith;		/* special make rule if present */
 	char	*f_depends;		/* additional dependancies */
 	char	*f_clean;		/* File list to add to clean rule */
-	char	*f_needs;
 	char	*f_warn;		/* warning message */
 };
 
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ struct files_name {
  * Types.
  */
 #define NORMAL		1
-#define	INVISIBLE	2
 #define	PROFILING	3
 #define NODEPEND	4
 #define LOCAL		5
@@ -72,7 +70,6 @@ struct files_name {
 #define NO_IMPLCT_RULE	1
 #define NO_OBJ		2
 #define BEFORE_DEPEND	4
-#define ISDUP		8
 #define NOWERROR	16
 
 struct device {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/mkheaders.c b/usr.sbin/config/mkheaders.c
index 9babe783e5b1..fd7f1b3ac67d 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/mkheaders.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/mkheaders.c
@@ -50,23 +50,10 @@ static const char rcsid[] =
 void
 headers(void)
 {
-	struct file_list *fl;
 	struct device *dp;
-	int match;
 	int errors;
 
 	errors = 0;
-	STAILQ_FOREACH(fl, &ftab, f_next) {
-		if (fl->f_needs != 0) {
-			match = 0;
-			STAILQ_FOREACH(dp, &dtab, d_next) {
-				if (eq(dp->d_name, fl->f_needs)) {
-					match++;
-					dp->d_done |= DEVDONE;
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(dp, &dtab, d_next) {
 		if (!(dp->d_done & DEVDONE)) {
 			warnx("Error: device \"%s\" is unknown",
diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c b/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
index d4b2466e3158..5b4f3ad2ea89 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
@@ -293,11 +293,11 @@ static void
 read_file(char *fname)
 {
 	FILE *fp;
-	struct file_list *tp, *pf;
+	struct file_list *tp;
 	struct device *dp;
 	struct opt *op;
-	char *wd, *this, *needs, *compilewith, *depends, *clean, *warning;
-	int nreqs, isdup, std, filetype,
+	char *wd, *this, *compilewith, *depends, *clean, *warning;
+	int nreqs, devfound, std, filetype,
 	    imp_rule, no_obj, before_depend, mandatory, nowerror;
 
 	fp = fopen(fname, "r");
@@ -331,17 +331,12 @@ next:
 		    fname, this);
 		exit(1);
 	}
-	if ((pf = fl_lookup(this)) && (pf->f_type != INVISIBLE || pf->f_flags))
-		isdup = ISDUP;
-	else
-		isdup = 0;
-	tp = 0;
+	tp = fl_lookup(this);
 	nreqs = 0;
 	compilewith = 0;
 	depends = 0;
 	clean = 0;
 	warning = 0;
-	needs = 0;
 	std = mandatory = 0;
 	imp_rule = 0;
 	no_obj = 0;
@@ -365,7 +360,7 @@ next:
 nextparam:
 	next_word(fp, wd);
 	if (wd == 0) {
-		if (isdup)
+		if (tp != NULL)
 			goto next;
 		goto doneparam;
 	}
@@ -443,13 +438,16 @@ nextparam:
 		nowerror = 1;
 		goto nextparam;
 	}
-	if (needs == 0 && nreqs == 1)
-		needs = ns(wd);
-	if (isdup)
-		goto invis;
+	devfound = 0;		/* XXX duplicate device entries */
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(dp, &dtab, d_next)
-		if (eq(dp->d_name, wd))
-			goto nextparam;
+		if (eq(dp->d_name, wd)) {
+			dp->d_done |= DEVDONE;
+			devfound = 1;
+		}
+	if (devfound)
+		goto nextparam;
+	if (tp != NULL)
+		goto skip;
 	if (mandatory) {
 		printf("%s: mandatory device \"%s\" not found\n",
 		       fname, wd);
@@ -461,26 +459,11 @@ nextparam:
 		exit(1);
 	}
 	SLIST_FOREACH(op, &opt, op_next)
-		if (op->op_value == 0 && opteq(op->op_name, wd)) {
-			if (nreqs == 1) {
-				free(needs);
-				needs = 0;
-			}
+		if (op->op_value == 0 && opteq(op->op_name, wd))
 			goto nextparam;
-		}
-invis:
+skip:
 	while ((wd = get_word(fp)) != 0)
 		;
-	if (tp == 0)
-		tp = new_fent();
-	tp->f_fn = this;
-	tp->f_type = INVISIBLE;
-	tp->f_needs = needs;
-	tp->f_flags |= isdup;
-	tp->f_compilewith = compilewith;
-	tp->f_depends = depends;
-	tp->f_clean = clean;
-	tp->f_warn = warning;
 	goto next;
 
 doneparam:
@@ -497,11 +480,9 @@ doneparam:
 	}
 	if (filetype == PROFILING && profiling == 0)
 		goto next;
-	if (tp == 0)
-		tp = new_fent();
+	tp = new_fent();
 	tp->f_fn = this;
 	tp->f_type = filetype;
-	tp->f_flags &= ~ISDUP;
 	if (imp_rule)
 		tp->f_flags |= NO_IMPLCT_RULE;
 	if (no_obj)
@@ -510,13 +491,10 @@ doneparam:
 		tp->f_flags |= BEFORE_DEPEND;
 	if (nowerror)
 		tp->f_flags |= NOWERROR;
-	tp->f_needs = needs;
 	tp->f_compilewith = compilewith;
 	tp->f_depends = depends;
 	tp->f_clean = clean;
 	tp->f_warn = warning;
-	if (pf && pf->f_type == INVISIBLE)
-		pf->f_flags |= ISDUP;		/* mark as duplicate */
 	goto next;
 }
 
@@ -599,7 +577,7 @@ do_objs(FILE *fp)
 	fprintf(fp, "OBJS=");
 	lpos = 6;
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(tp, &ftab, f_next) {
-		if (tp->f_type == INVISIBLE || tp->f_flags & NO_OBJ)
+		if (tp->f_flags & NO_OBJ)
 			continue;
 		sp = tail(tp->f_fn);
 		cp = sp + (len = strlen(sp)) - 1;
@@ -635,7 +613,7 @@ do_xxfiles(char *tag, FILE *fp)
 	fprintf(fp, "%sFILES=", SUFF);
 	lpos = 8;
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(tp, &ftab, f_next)
-		if (tp->f_type != INVISIBLE && tp->f_type != NODEPEND) {
+		if (tp->f_type != NODEPEND) {
 			len = strlen(tp->f_fn);
 			if (tp->f_fn[len - slen - 1] != '.')
 				continue;
@@ -678,8 +656,6 @@ do_rules(FILE *f)
 	char *compilewith;
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(ftp, &ftab, f_next) {
-		if (ftp->f_type == INVISIBLE)
-			continue;
 		if (ftp->f_warn)
 			printf("WARNING: %s\n", ftp->f_warn);
 		cp = (np = ftp->f_fn) + strlen(ftp->f_fn) - 1;