diff --git a/commands/mdb/mdb.h b/commands/mdb/mdb.h
index 73032dedb..1541230f1 100644
--- a/commands/mdb/mdb.h
+++ b/commands/mdb/mdb.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 #define PC_OFF ((long)&((struct proc *)0)->p_reg.pc)
 #endif
 
-#define ADDRSIZE	_WORD_SIZE
+#define ADDRSIZE	(sizeof(void *))
 #define BITSIZE(size)	(8 * (size))
 #define INTSIZE		(sizeof(int))	/* not quite right for cross-debugger */
 #define LONGSIZE	(sizeof(long))
diff --git a/commands/mdb/mdbdis86.c b/commands/mdb/mdbdis86.c
index dcb1c8998..5e7c8c0b3 100644
--- a/commands/mdb/mdbdis86.c
+++ b/commands/mdb/mdbdis86.c
@@ -931,11 +931,7 @@ opcode_pt wordflags;
 	else if (mod == MEM2_MOD)
 	{
 	    outbyte('+');
-#if (_WORD_SIZE == 4)
 	    out32offset();
-#else
-	    outgetaddr();
-#endif
 	}
 	outbyte(RINDIRECT);
 	if (hasize == 16 && rm == 4 && index == 4 && ss != 0)
@@ -950,8 +946,6 @@ static void outf1()
     outbyte(')');
 }
 
-#if (_WORD_SIZE == 4)
-
 static void out32offset()
 {
     off_t off;
@@ -963,7 +957,6 @@ static void out32offset()
 
     outh32(off);
 }
-#endif
 
 static void outfishy()
 {
@@ -1425,11 +1418,7 @@ long addr;
 int count;
 int symflg;
 {
-#if (_WORD_SIZE == 4)
 	bits32 = TRUE;		/* Set mode */
-#else
-	bits32 = FALSE;
-#endif
 	uptr.off = addr;
 	uptr.base = 0;		/* not known */
 	while ( count-- != 0 && show1instruction() )
diff --git a/commands/mdb/sym.c b/commands/mdb/sym.c
index fe0c8e3dc..2c2b14941 100644
--- a/commands/mdb/sym.c
+++ b/commands/mdb/sym.c
@@ -115,12 +115,8 @@ long magic;
 
   /* Check CPU */
 #if defined(__i386__)
-#if (_WORD_SIZE == 4)
   if (hdr->a_cpu != A_I80386)
-#else
-  if (hdr->a_cpu != A_I8086)
 #endif
-#endif 
   {
  	Printf("mdb: invalid cpu in exec header - %04x\n",
 	hdr->a_cpu);
@@ -213,11 +209,7 @@ int allflag;
 					schar += 'A' - 'a';
 				outbyte( schar );
 				outspace();
-#if (_WORD_SIZE == 2)
-				outh16( (u16_t) sp->n_value );
-#else
 				outh32( sp->n_value );
-#endif
 				outbyte('\n');
 			}
 		}
@@ -460,11 +452,7 @@ char *cmd;
 	     for ( ; s <= send; ++s ) outspace();
 	     outbyte( schar );
 	     outspace();
-#if (_WORD_SIZE == 2)
-	     outh16( (u16_t) sp->n_value );
-#else
 	     outh32( sp->n_value );
-#endif
 	     outbyte('\n');
 	}
 }
diff --git a/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.c b/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.c
index d8e0d5a18..6e1f1fb86 100644
--- a/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.c
+++ b/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.c
@@ -2170,9 +2170,7 @@ int do_dma;
    */
   sys_setalarm(wakeup_ticks, 0);
 
-#if _WORD_SIZE > 2
   if (cnt > 0xFFFE) cnt = 0xFFFE;	/* Max data per interrupt. */
-#endif
 
   w_command = ATAPI_PACKETCMD;
   pv_set(outbyte[0], wn->base_cmd + REG_FEAT, do_dma ? FEAT_DMA : 0);
diff --git a/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.h b/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.h
index e5d3f0e4d..868c8cd0d 100644
--- a/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.h
+++ b/drivers/at_wini/at_wini.h
@@ -191,11 +191,7 @@
 /* Miscellaneous. */
 #define MAX_DRIVES         8
 #define COMPAT_DRIVES      4
-#if _WORD_SIZE > 2
 #define MAX_SECS	 256	/* controller can transfer this many sectors */
-#else
-#define MAX_SECS	 127	/* but not to a 16 bit process */
-#endif
 #define MAX_ERRORS         4	/* how often to try rd/wt before quitting */
 #define NR_MINORS       (MAX_DRIVES * DEV_PER_DRIVE)
 #define SUB_PER_DRIVE	(NR_PARTITIONS * NR_PARTITIONS)
diff --git a/include/arch/i386/include/ansi.h b/include/arch/i386/include/ansi.h
index 9c1cfe470..e26337e64 100644
--- a/include/arch/i386/include/ansi.h
+++ b/include/arch/i386/include/ansi.h
@@ -52,11 +52,7 @@
 
 #define _BSD_CLOCK_T_		long
 
-#if _EM_PSIZE == _EM_WSIZE
 #define _BSD_PTRDIFF_T_ 	int
-#else /* _EM_PSIZE == _EM_LSIZE */
-#define _BSD_PTRDIFF_T_ 	long
-#endif
 
 #define _BSD_SIZE_T_		unsigned int
 #define	_BSD_SSIZE_T_		int
diff --git a/include/arch/i386/include/signal.h b/include/arch/i386/include/signal.h
index d8f696f52..cf07f6277 100644
--- a/include/arch/i386/include/signal.h
+++ b/include/arch/i386/include/signal.h
@@ -33,10 +33,8 @@ struct sigcontext {
   union fpu_state_u sc_fpu_state;
 };
 
-#if _WORD_SIZE == 4
 #define sc_gs sc_regs.gs
 #define sc_fs sc_regs.fs
-#endif /* _WORD_SIZE == 4 */
 #define sc_es sc_regs.es
 #define sc_ds sc_regs.ds
 #define sc_di sc_regs.di
diff --git a/include/minix/ioctl.h b/include/minix/ioctl.h
index c71f672ec..1ea5c9221 100644
--- a/include/minix/ioctl.h
+++ b/include/minix/ioctl.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 #include <minix/types.h>
 #endif
 
-#if _EM_WSIZE >= 4
 /* Ioctls have the command encoded in the low-order word, and the size
  * of the parameter in the high-order word. The 3 high bits of the high-
  * order word are used to encode the in/out/void status of the parameter.
@@ -56,15 +55,6 @@
 #define _MINIX_IOCTL_BIG(i) 		((i) & _IOC_BIG)
 #define _MINIX_IOCTL_SIZE_BIG(i)	(((i) >> 8) & _IOCPARM_MASK_BIG)
 
-#else
-/* No fancy encoding on a 16-bit machine. */
-
-#define _IO(x,y)	((x << 8) | y)
-#define _IOR(x,y,t)	_IO(x,y)
-#define _IOW(x,y,t)	_IO(x,y)
-#define _IORW(x,y,t)	_IO(x,y)
-#endif
-
 __BEGIN_DECLS
 int ioctl(int _fd, int _request, void *_data);
 __END_DECLS
diff --git a/include/minix/sys_config.h b/include/minix/sys_config.h
index deb28ea9c..d1789a9f6 100644
--- a/include/minix/sys_config.h
+++ b/include/minix/sys_config.h
@@ -4,11 +4,6 @@
 /*===========================================================================*
  *		This section contains user-settable parameters		     *
  *===========================================================================*/
-/* Word size in bytes (a constant equal to sizeof(int)). */
-#if __ACK__ || __GNUC__
-#define _WORD_SIZE	_EM_WSIZE
-#define _PTR_SIZE	_EM_WSIZE
-#endif
 
 #define _NR_PROCS	256
 #define _NR_SYS_PROCS	64
diff --git a/include/sys/syslimits.h b/include/sys/syslimits.h
index a795e03b7..c5a8b7ed4 100644
--- a/include/sys/syslimits.h
+++ b/include/sys/syslimits.h
@@ -12,11 +12,7 @@
 #if defined(_POSIX_C_SOURCE) || defined(_XOPEN_SOURCE) || \
     defined(_NETBSD_SOURCE)
 
-#if _EM_WSIZE > 2
 #define ARG_MAX 	262144 /* # bytes of args + environ for exec() */
-#else
-#define ARG_MAX 	4096	/* args + environ on small machines */
-#endif
 
 #ifndef CHILD_MAX
 #define	CHILD_MAX	_NO_LIMIT /* max simultaneous processes */
diff --git a/kernel/system/do_sigreturn.c b/kernel/system/do_sigreturn.c
index 616b60ac6..090557fd0 100644
--- a/kernel/system/do_sigreturn.c
+++ b/kernel/system/do_sigreturn.c
@@ -44,10 +44,8 @@ int do_sigreturn(struct proc * caller, message * m_ptr)
   sc.sc_ds = rp->p_reg.ds;
   sc.sc_es = rp->p_reg.es;
   sc.sc_ss = rp->p_reg.ss;
-#if _WORD_SIZE == 4
   sc.sc_fs = rp->p_reg.fs;
   sc.sc_gs = rp->p_reg.gs;
-#endif
 #endif
 
   /* Restore the registers. */
diff --git a/kernel/system/do_trace.c b/kernel/system/do_trace.c
index 57031e234..10dd4bcb9 100644
--- a/kernel/system/do_trace.c
+++ b/kernel/system/do_trace.c
@@ -143,10 +143,8 @@ int do_trace(struct proc * caller, message * m_ptr)
 	if (i == (int) &((struct proc *) 0)->p_reg.cs ||
 	    i == (int) &((struct proc *) 0)->p_reg.ds ||
 	    i == (int) &((struct proc *) 0)->p_reg.es ||
-#if _WORD_SIZE == 4
 	    i == (int) &((struct proc *) 0)->p_reg.gs ||
 	    i == (int) &((struct proc *) 0)->p_reg.fs ||
-#endif
 	    i == (int) &((struct proc *) 0)->p_reg.ss)
 		return(EFAULT);
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/libc/minix/malloc.c b/lib/libc/minix/malloc.c
index 32922bd68..7f3ba5737 100644
--- a/lib/libc/minix/malloc.c
+++ b/lib/libc/minix/malloc.c
@@ -23,17 +23,9 @@ static int no_debug = -1;
 	if (no_debug == 0) { statement; }				\
   }
 
-#if _EM_WSIZE == _EM_PSIZE
 #define	ptrint		int
-#else
-#define	ptrint		long
-#endif
 
-#if	_EM_PSIZE == 2
-#define BRKSIZE		1024
-#else
 #define BRKSIZE		4096
-#endif
 #ifdef ALIGN_EIGHT_BYTES
 #define PTRSIZE		8
 #else
diff --git a/lib/libc/sys-minix/environ.c b/lib/libc/sys-minix/environ.c
index 7e7fe73b0..7c254fa45 100644
--- a/lib/libc/sys-minix/environ.c
+++ b/lib/libc/sys-minix/environ.c
@@ -13,8 +13,4 @@
  * the bytes in the pointer are the same, just in case.
  */
 
-#if _EM_PSIZE==2
-char **environ = (char **) 0x5353;
-#else
 char **environ = (char **) 0x53535353;
-#endif
diff --git a/lib/libexec/exec_aout.c b/lib/libexec/exec_aout.c
index b952ad4db..f3eda79c8 100644
--- a/lib/libexec/exec_aout.c
+++ b/lib/libexec/exec_aout.c
@@ -57,10 +57,7 @@ int read_header_aout(
 
   /* Check magic number, cpu type, and flags. */
   if (BADMAG(*hdr)) return(ENOEXEC);
-#if (defined(__i386__) && _WORD_SIZE == 2)
-  if (hdr->a_cpu != A_I8086) return(ENOEXEC);
-#endif
-#if (defined(__i386__) && _WORD_SIZE == 4)
+#if defined(__i386__)
   if (hdr->a_cpu != A_I80386) return(ENOEXEC);
 #endif
   if ((hdr->a_flags & ~(A_NSYM | A_EXEC | A_SEP)) != 0) return(ENOEXEC);
diff --git a/lib/libminc/malloc.c b/lib/libminc/malloc.c
index 2ea43adec..7b06e2121 100644
--- a/lib/libminc/malloc.c
+++ b/lib/libminc/malloc.c
@@ -16,17 +16,9 @@
 
 #define CHECK_DBG(statement)
 
-#if _EM_WSIZE == _EM_PSIZE
 #define	ptrint		int
-#else
-#define	ptrint		long
-#endif
 
-#if	_EM_PSIZE == 2
-#define BRKSIZE		1024
-#else
 #define BRKSIZE		4096
-#endif
 #ifdef ALIGN_EIGHT_BYTES
 #define PTRSIZE		8
 #else