diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c8b5b99532..cec8d58a56 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -307,10 +307,8 @@ skip_meson=no
 
 # 1. Track which submodules are needed
 if test "$default_feature" = no ; then
-  capstone="disabled"
   slirp="disabled"
 else
-  capstone="auto"
   slirp="auto"
 fi
 fdt="auto"
@@ -869,14 +867,6 @@ for opt do
   --enable-uuid|--disable-uuid)
       echo "$0: $opt is obsolete, UUID support is always built" >&2
   ;;
-  --disable-capstone) capstone="disabled"
-  ;;
-  --enable-capstone) capstone="enabled"
-  ;;
-  --enable-capstone=git) capstone="internal"
-  ;;
-  --enable-capstone=*) capstone="$optarg"
-  ;;
   --with-git=*) git="$optarg"
   ;;
   --with-git-submodules=*)
@@ -1568,16 +1558,6 @@ case "$fdt" in
     ;;
 esac
 
-##########################################
-# capstone
-
-case "$capstone" in
-  auto | enabled | internal)
-    # Simpler to always update submodule, even if not needed.
-    git_submodules="${git_submodules} capstone"
-    ;;
-esac
-
 ##########################################
 # check and set a backend for coroutine
 
@@ -2223,7 +2203,6 @@ if test "$skip_meson" = no; then
   test "$werror" = yes && meson_option_add -Dwerror=true
 
   # QEMU options
-  test "$capstone" != auto && meson_option_add "-Dcapstone=$capstone"
   test "$cfi" != false && meson_option_add "-Dcfi=$cfi"
   test "$fdt" != auto && meson_option_add "-Dfdt=$fdt"
   test -n "${LIB_FUZZING_ENGINE+xxx}" && meson_option_add "-Dfuzzing_engine=$LIB_FUZZING_ENGINE"
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 63ea585702..f9279746d2 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -2510,13 +2510,10 @@ genh += custom_target('config-poison.h',
 ##############
 
 capstone = not_found
-capstone_opt = get_option('capstone')
-if capstone_opt in ['enabled', 'auto', 'system']
-  have_internal = fs.exists(meson.current_source_dir() / 'capstone/Makefile')
+if not get_option('capstone').auto() or have_system or have_user
   capstone = dependency('capstone', version: '>=3.0.5',
                         kwargs: static_kwargs, method: 'pkg-config',
-                        required: capstone_opt == 'system' or
-                                  capstone_opt == 'enabled' and not have_internal)
+                        required: get_option('capstone'))
 
   # Some versions of capstone have broken pkg-config file
   # that reports a wrong -I path, causing the #include to
@@ -2525,110 +2522,10 @@ if capstone_opt in ['enabled', 'auto', 'system']
   if capstone.found() and not cc.compiles('#include <capstone.h>',
                                           dependencies: [capstone])
     capstone = not_found
-    if capstone_opt == 'system'
-      error('system capstone requested, it does not appear to work')
+    if get_option('capstone').enabled()
+      error('capstone requested, but it does not appear to work')
     endif
   endif
-
-  if capstone.found()
-    capstone_opt = 'system'
-  elif have_internal
-    capstone_opt = 'internal'
-  else
-    capstone_opt = 'disabled'
-  endif
-endif
-if capstone_opt == 'internal'
-  capstone_data = configuration_data()
-  capstone_data.set('CAPSTONE_USE_SYS_DYN_MEM', '1')
-
-  capstone_files = files(
-    'capstone/cs.c',
-    'capstone/MCInst.c',
-    'capstone/MCInstrDesc.c',
-    'capstone/MCRegisterInfo.c',
-    'capstone/SStream.c',
-    'capstone/utils.c'
-  )
-
-  if 'CONFIG_ARM_DIS' in config_all_disas
-    capstone_data.set('CAPSTONE_HAS_ARM', '1')
-    capstone_files += files(
-      'capstone/arch/ARM/ARMDisassembler.c',
-      'capstone/arch/ARM/ARMInstPrinter.c',
-      'capstone/arch/ARM/ARMMapping.c',
-      'capstone/arch/ARM/ARMModule.c'
-    )
-  endif
-
-  # FIXME: This config entry currently depends on a c++ compiler.
-  # Which is needed for building libvixl, but not for capstone.
-  if 'CONFIG_ARM_A64_DIS' in config_all_disas
-    capstone_data.set('CAPSTONE_HAS_ARM64', '1')
-    capstone_files += files(
-      'capstone/arch/AArch64/AArch64BaseInfo.c',
-      'capstone/arch/AArch64/AArch64Disassembler.c',
-      'capstone/arch/AArch64/AArch64InstPrinter.c',
-      'capstone/arch/AArch64/AArch64Mapping.c',
-      'capstone/arch/AArch64/AArch64Module.c'
-    )
-  endif
-
-  if 'CONFIG_PPC_DIS' in config_all_disas
-    capstone_data.set('CAPSTONE_HAS_POWERPC', '1')
-    capstone_files += files(
-      'capstone/arch/PowerPC/PPCDisassembler.c',
-      'capstone/arch/PowerPC/PPCInstPrinter.c',
-      'capstone/arch/PowerPC/PPCMapping.c',
-      'capstone/arch/PowerPC/PPCModule.c'
-    )
-  endif
-
-  if 'CONFIG_S390_DIS' in config_all_disas
-    capstone_data.set('CAPSTONE_HAS_SYSZ', '1')
-    capstone_files += files(
-      'capstone/arch/SystemZ/SystemZDisassembler.c',
-      'capstone/arch/SystemZ/SystemZInstPrinter.c',
-      'capstone/arch/SystemZ/SystemZMapping.c',
-      'capstone/arch/SystemZ/SystemZModule.c',
-      'capstone/arch/SystemZ/SystemZMCTargetDesc.c'
-    )
-  endif
-
-  if 'CONFIG_I386_DIS' in config_all_disas
-    capstone_data.set('CAPSTONE_HAS_X86', 1)
-    capstone_files += files(
-      'capstone/arch/X86/X86Disassembler.c',
-      'capstone/arch/X86/X86DisassemblerDecoder.c',
-      'capstone/arch/X86/X86ATTInstPrinter.c',
-      'capstone/arch/X86/X86IntelInstPrinter.c',
-      'capstone/arch/X86/X86InstPrinterCommon.c',
-      'capstone/arch/X86/X86Mapping.c',
-      'capstone/arch/X86/X86Module.c'
-    )
-  endif
-
-  configure_file(output: 'capstone-defs.h', configuration: capstone_data)
-
-  capstone_cargs = [
-    # FIXME: There does not seem to be a way to completely replace the c_args
-    # that come from add_project_arguments() -- we can only add to them.
-    # So: disable all warnings with a big hammer.
-    '-Wno-error', '-w',
-
-    # Include all configuration defines via a header file, which will wind up
-    # as a dependency on the object file, and thus changes here will result
-    # in a rebuild.
-    '-include', 'capstone-defs.h'
-  ]
-
-  libcapstone = static_library('capstone',
-                               build_by_default: false,
-                               sources: capstone_files,
-                               c_args: capstone_cargs,
-                               include_directories: 'capstone/include')
-  capstone = declare_dependency(link_with: libcapstone,
-                                include_directories: 'capstone/include/capstone')
 endif
 
 slirp = not_found
@@ -3958,7 +3855,7 @@ summary_info += {'bzip2 support':     libbzip2}
 summary_info += {'lzfse support':     liblzfse}
 summary_info += {'zstd support':      zstd}
 summary_info += {'NUMA host support': numa}
-summary_info += {'capstone':          capstone_opt == 'internal' ? capstone_opt : capstone}
+summary_info += {'capstone':          capstone}
 summary_info += {'libpmem support':   libpmem}
 summary_info += {'libdaxctl support': libdaxctl}
 summary_info += {'libudev':           libudev}
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml b/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
index a4d43d743b..e9620c3074 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ build-system-ubuntu:
   variables:
     IMAGE: ubuntu2004
     CONFIGURE_ARGS: --enable-docs --enable-fdt=system --enable-slirp=system
-        --enable-capstone=system
+        --enable-capstone
     TARGETS: aarch64-softmmu alpha-softmmu cris-softmmu hppa-softmmu
       microblazeel-softmmu mips64el-softmmu
     MAKE_CHECK_ARGS: check-build
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ build-system-fedora:
   variables:
     IMAGE: fedora
     CONFIGURE_ARGS: --disable-gcrypt --enable-nettle --enable-docs
-             --enable-fdt=system --enable-slirp=system --enable-capstone=system
+             --enable-fdt=system --enable-slirp=system --enable-capstone
     TARGETS: tricore-softmmu microblaze-softmmu mips-softmmu
       xtensa-softmmu m68k-softmmu riscv32-softmmu ppc-softmmu sparc64-softmmu
     MAKE_CHECK_ARGS: check-build
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.d/windows.yml b/.gitlab-ci.d/windows.yml
index 47f6073773..cf7724b8e5 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.d/windows.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.d/windows.yml
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ msys2-64bit:
   - $env:CHERE_INVOKING = 'yes'  # Preserve the current working directory
   - $env:MSYSTEM = 'MINGW64'     # Start a 64 bit Mingw environment
   - .\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc './configure --target-list=x86_64-softmmu
-      --enable-capstone=system --without-default-devices'
+      --enable-capstone --without-default-devices'
   - .\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "sed -i '/^ROMS=/d' build/config-host.mak"
   - .\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc 'make -j2'
   - .\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc 'make check'
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ msys2-32bit:
   - $env:MSYSTEM = 'MINGW32'     # Start a 32-bit MinG environment
   - mkdir output
   - cd output
-  - ..\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "../configure --target-list=ppc64-softmmu
-      --enable-capstone=system"
+  - ..\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "../configure --target-list=ppc64-softmmu"
   - ..\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc 'make -j2'
   - ..\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc 'make check'
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index f4b6a9b401..b8bff47df8 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -31,9 +31,6 @@
 [submodule "ui/keycodemapdb"]
 	path = ui/keycodemapdb
 	url = https://gitlab.com/qemu-project/keycodemapdb.git
-[submodule "capstone"]
-	path = capstone
-	url = https://gitlab.com/qemu-project/capstone.git
 [submodule "roms/seabios-hppa"]
 	path = roms/seabios-hppa
 	url = https://gitlab.com/qemu-project/seabios-hppa.git
diff --git a/capstone b/capstone
deleted file mode 160000
index f8b1b83301..0000000000
--- a/capstone
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit f8b1b833015a4ae47110ed068e0deb7106ced66d
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 29c6b90cec..fcdc43f7db 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -252,8 +252,7 @@ option('virtfs', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
 option('virtiofsd', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
        description: 'build virtiofs daemon (virtiofsd)')
 
-option('capstone', type: 'combo', value: 'auto',
-       choices: ['disabled', 'enabled', 'auto', 'system', 'internal'],
+option('capstone', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
        description: 'Whether and how to find the capstone library')
 option('slirp', type: 'combo', value: 'auto',
        choices: ['disabled', 'enabled', 'auto', 'system', 'internal'],
diff --git a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
index 5d2172bfb4..7fc56d3f4a 100644
--- a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
+++ b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ meson_options_help() {
   printf "%s\n" '  --enable-block-drv-whitelist-in-tools'
   printf "%s\n" '                           use block whitelist also in tools instead of only'
   printf "%s\n" '                           QEMU'
-  printf "%s\n" '  --enable-capstone[=CHOICE]'
-  printf "%s\n" '                           Whether and how to find the capstone library'
-  printf "%s\n" '                           (choices: auto/disabled/enabled/internal/system)'
   printf "%s\n" '  --enable-cfi             Control-Flow Integrity (CFI)'
   printf "%s\n" '  --enable-cfi-debug       Verbose errors in case of CFI violation'
   printf "%s\n" '  --enable-debug-mutex     mutex debugging support'
@@ -77,6 +74,7 @@ meson_options_help() {
   printf "%s\n" '  brlapi          brlapi character device driver'
   printf "%s\n" '  bzip2           bzip2 support for DMG images'
   printf "%s\n" '  cap-ng          cap_ng support'
+  printf "%s\n" '  capstone        Whether and how to find the capstone library'
   printf "%s\n" '  cloop           cloop image format support'
   printf "%s\n" '  cocoa           Cocoa user interface (macOS only)'
   printf "%s\n" '  coreaudio       CoreAudio sound support'
@@ -209,7 +207,6 @@ _meson_option_parse() {
     --disable-cap-ng) printf "%s" -Dcap_ng=disabled ;;
     --enable-capstone) printf "%s" -Dcapstone=enabled ;;
     --disable-capstone) printf "%s" -Dcapstone=disabled ;;
-    --enable-capstone=*) quote_sh "-Dcapstone=$2" ;;
     --enable-cfi) printf "%s" -Dcfi=true ;;
     --disable-cfi) printf "%s" -Dcfi=false ;;
     --enable-cfi-debug) printf "%s" -Dcfi_debug=true ;;
