diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 23188c94..bd0026b1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ Developers may need to change their code
   
 ### Minor features
 
+* Removed `JSON_CDATA_STRIP` compile-time option (obsolete since 5.4)
 * Added fuzz code for xpath
 * List-pagination: Follow ietf-draft 100%: Removed list-pagination "presence"
 * Main example: Removed dependency of external IETF RFCs
diff --git a/include/clixon_custom.h b/include/clixon_custom.h
index 1f3e1b27..6079f68c 100644
--- a/include/clixon_custom.h
+++ b/include/clixon_custom.h
@@ -127,17 +127,6 @@
  */
 #undef LIST_PAGINATION_REMAINING
 
-/*! XML CDATA encoding in payload is stripped when translating to JSON
- * Example: XML: "<s><![CDATA[  z > x  & x < y ]]></s>" is translated to
- * JSON: {"s":"  z > x  & x < y "}
- * If not set:
- * JSON: {"s":"<![CDATA[  z > x  & x < y ]]>"}`
- * Clixon stripped CDATA in 5.3 and earlier versions.
- * To keep this backward-compatible enable this option
- * Consider removing this option after 5.4
- */
-#undef JSON_CDATA_STRIP
-
 /*! 
  * RFC 7950 generally does not specify an XML/JSON encoding order of sub-elements of list or
  * containers. See sections 7.5.7 and 7.8.5
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_json.c b/lib/src/clixon_json.c
index d2b7c106..bdc57e32 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_json.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_json.c
@@ -251,9 +251,6 @@ json_str_escape_cdata(cbuf *cb,
     int   retval = -1;
     int   i;
     size_t len;
-#ifdef JSON_CDATA_STRIP
-    int   esc = 0; /* cdata escape */
-#endif
     
     len = strlen(str);
     for (i=0; i<len; i++)
@@ -267,26 +264,6 @@ json_str_escape_cdata(cbuf *cb,
         case '\\':
             cprintf(cb, "\\\\");
             break;
-#ifdef JSON_CDATA_STRIP
-        case '<':
-            if (!esc &&
-                strncmp(&str[i], "<![CDATA[", strlen("<![CDATA[")) == 0){
-                esc=1;
-                i += strlen("<![CDATA[")-1;
-            }
-            else
-                cprintf(cb, "%c", str[i]);
-            break;
-        case ']':
-            if (esc &&
-                strncmp(&str[i], "]]>", strlen("]]>")) == 0){
-                esc=0;
-                i += strlen("]]>")-1;
-            }
-            else
-                cprintf(cb, "%c", str[i]);
-            break;
-#endif /* JSON_CDATA_STRIP */
         default: /* fall thru */
             cprintf(cb, "%c", str[i]);
             break;