diff --git a/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection.h b/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection.h
index d597041a..e23e0e76 100644
--- a/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection.h
+++ b/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection.h
@@ -286,11 +286,6 @@ namespace sqlpp
         return _handle->ping_server();
       }
 
-      void reconnect()
-      {
-        return _handle->reconnect();
-      }
-
       const std::shared_ptr<const connection_config>& get_config()
       {
         return _handle->config;
diff --git a/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection_config.h b/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection_config.h
index 6d382f9a..a518a326 100644
--- a/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection_config.h
+++ b/include/sqlpp11/mysql/connection_config.h
@@ -42,15 +42,14 @@ namespace sqlpp
       std::string unix_socket;
       unsigned long client_flag{0};
       std::string charset{"utf8"};
-      bool auto_reconnect{true};
       bool debug{false};
       unsigned int connect_timeout_seconds{0};  // 0 = do not override MySQL library default
 
       bool operator==(const connection_config& other) const
       {
         return (other.host == host and other.user == user and other.password == password and
-                other.database == database and other.charset == charset and other.auto_reconnect == auto_reconnect and
-                other.debug == debug and other.connect_timeout_seconds == connect_timeout_seconds);
+                other.database == database and other.charset == charset and other.debug == debug and
+                other.connect_timeout_seconds == connect_timeout_seconds);
       }
 
       bool operator!=(const connection_config& other) const
diff --git a/include/sqlpp11/mysql/detail/connection_handle.h b/include/sqlpp11/mysql/detail/connection_handle.h
index 45b4b868..1629d53c 100644
--- a/include/sqlpp11/mysql/detail/connection_handle.h
+++ b/include/sqlpp11/mysql/detail/connection_handle.h
@@ -79,15 +79,6 @@ namespace sqlpp
             throw sqlpp::exception{"MySQL: could not init mysql data structure"};
           }
 
-          if (config->auto_reconnect)
-          {
-            my_bool my_true{true};
-            if (mysql_options(native_handle(), MYSQL_OPT_RECONNECT, &my_true))
-            {
-              throw sqlpp::exception{"MySQL: could not set option MYSQL_OPT_RECONNECT"};
-            }
-          }
-
           connect(native_handle(), *config);
         }
 
@@ -114,10 +105,6 @@ namespace sqlpp
           return mysql_ping(native_handle()) == 0;
         }
 
-        void reconnect()
-        {
-          connect(native_handle(), *config);
-        }
       };
     }  // namespace detail
   }  // namespace mysql