diff --git a/README.mkd b/README.mkd
index 3ca9815..3bd0ccf 100644
--- a/README.mkd
+++ b/README.mkd
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Release Notes  -  SABnzbd 1.2.0
 - Dropped dependency on PyOpenSSL, now only requires cryptography package
 - Update 7zip to 16.04 and UnRar to 5.40 for Windows/macOS
 - Python post/pre/notification-scripts require execute permissions
+- Removed web_watchdog
 
 ## Bug fixes
 - Re-use IP-address for new connections when a server has open connections
diff --git a/SABnzbd.py b/SABnzbd.py
index 5456cea..18d52f2 100755
--- a/SABnzbd.py
+++ b/SABnzbd.py
@@ -690,13 +690,13 @@ def attach_server(host, port, cert=None, key=None, chain=None):
         http_server.subscribe()
 
 
-def is_sabnzbd_running(url, timeout=None):
+def is_sabnzbd_running(url):
     """ Return True when there's already a SABnzbd instance running. """
     try:
         url = '%s&mode=version' % (url)
         # Do this without certificate verification, few installations will have that
         prev = sabnzbd.set_https_verification(False)
-        ver = sabnzbd.newsunpack.get_from_url(url, timeout=timeout)
+        ver = sabnzbd.newsunpack.get_from_url(url)
         sabnzbd.set_https_verification(prev)
         return bool(ver and re.search(r'\d+\.\d+\.', ver))
     except:
@@ -1573,7 +1573,7 @@ def main():
             add_local(f)
 
     # Have to keep this running, otherwise logging will terminate
-    timer = timer5 = 0
+    timer = 0
     while not sabnzbd.SABSTOP:
         if sabnzbd.LAST_WARNING:
             msg = sabnzbd.LAST_WARNING
@@ -1621,16 +1621,6 @@ def main():
             # Notify guardian
             if sabnzbd.WIN_SERVICE and mail:
                 mail.send('active')
-
-            if timer5 > 9:
-                # 5 minute polling tasks
-                timer5 = 0
-                if sabnzbd.cfg.web_watchdog() and not is_sabnzbd_running('%s/api?tickleme=1' % sabnzbd.BROWSER_URL, 120):
-                    autorestarted = True
-                    cherrypy.engine.execv = True
-            else:
-                timer5 += 1
-
         else:
             timer += 1
 
diff --git a/sabnzbd/cfg.py b/sabnzbd/cfg.py
index f885ed0..7d8e473 100644
--- a/sabnzbd/cfg.py
+++ b/sabnzbd/cfg.py
@@ -401,7 +401,6 @@ wait_ext_drive = OptionNumber('misc', 'wait_ext_drive', 5, 1, 60)
 queue_limit = OptionNumber('misc', 'queue_limit', 20, 0)
 history_limit = OptionNumber('misc', 'history_limit', 10, 0)
 show_sysload = OptionNumber('misc', 'show_sysload', 2, 0, 2)
-web_watchdog = OptionBool('misc', 'web_watchdog', False)
 enable_bonjour = OptionBool('misc', 'enable_bonjour', True)
 allow_duplicate_files = OptionBool('misc', 'allow_duplicate_files', False)
 warn_dupl_jobs = OptionBool('misc', 'warn_dupl_jobs', True)
diff --git a/sabnzbd/interface.py b/sabnzbd/interface.py
index c87610e..896c0eb 100644
--- a/sabnzbd/interface.py
+++ b/sabnzbd/interface.py
@@ -518,10 +518,9 @@ class MainPage(object):
     @cherrypy.expose
     def api(self, **kwargs):
         """ Handler for API over http, with explicit authentication parameters """
-        if not kwargs.get('tickleme') or not cfg.web_watchdog():
-            if cfg.api_logging():
-                logging.debug('API-call from %s [%s] %s', cherrypy.request.remote.ip,
-                              cherrypy.request.headers.get('User-Agent', '??'), kwargs)
+        if cfg.api_logging():
+            logging.debug('API-call from %s [%s] %s', cherrypy.request.remote.ip,
+                          cherrypy.request.headers.get('User-Agent', '??'), kwargs)
         mode = kwargs.get('mode', '')
         if isinstance(mode, list):
             mode = mode[0]
@@ -1501,9 +1500,9 @@ SPECIAL_BOOL_LIST = \
               'prospective_par_download', 'never_repair', 'allow_streaming', 'ignore_unrar_dates',
               'osx_menu', 'osx_speed', 'win_menu', 'use_pickle', 'allow_incomplete_nzb',
               'rss_filenames', 'ipv6_hosting', 'keep_awake', 'empty_postproc', 'html_login',
-              'web_watchdog', 'wait_for_dfolder', 'warn_empty_nzb', 'enable_bonjour',
-              'allow_duplicate_files', 'warn_dupl_jobs', 'backup_for_duplicates', 'enable_par_cleanup',
-              'api_logging', 'fixed_ports'
+              'wait_for_dfolder', 'warn_empty_nzb', 'enable_bonjour','allow_duplicate_files',
+              'warn_dupl_jobs', 'backup_for_duplicates', 'enable_par_cleanup', 'api_logging',
+              'fixed_ports'
      )
 SPECIAL_VALUE_LIST = \
     ('size_limit', 'folder_max_length', 'fsys_type', 'movie_rename_limit', 'nomedia_marker',
diff --git a/sabnzbd/newsunpack.py b/sabnzbd/newsunpack.py
index be53797..cb37f57 100644
--- a/sabnzbd/newsunpack.py
+++ b/sabnzbd/newsunpack.py
@@ -1881,20 +1881,15 @@ def list2cmdline(lst):
     return ' '.join(nlst)
 
 
-def get_from_url(url, timeout=None):
+def get_from_url(url):
     """ Retrieve URL and return content
         `timeout` sets non-standard timeout
     """
     import urllib2
     try:
-        if timeout:
-            s = urllib2.urlopen(url, timeout=timeout)
-        else:
-            s = urllib2.urlopen(url)
-        output = s.read()
+        return urllib2.urlopen(url).read()
     except:
-        output = None
-    return output
+        return None
 
 
 def is_sevenfile(path):