diff --git a/src/H5FDvfd_swmr.c b/src/H5FDvfd_swmr.c
index 8765876e1a..a3b6b5c00f 100644
--- a/src/H5FDvfd_swmr.c
+++ b/src/H5FDvfd_swmr.c
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ H5FD_vfd_swmr_open(const char *name, unsigned flags, hid_t fapl_id,
     file->md_file_path[sizeof(file->md_file_path) - 1] = '\0';
 
     /* Retry on opening the metadata file */
-    for (do_try = h5_retry_init(&retry, vfd_swmr_config->md_open_tries,
+    for (do_try = h5_retry_init(&retry, H5FD_VFD_SWMR_MD_FILE_RETRY_MAX,
                                  H5_RETRY_DEFAULT_MINIVAL,
                                  H5_RETRY_DEFAULT_MAXIVAL);
          do_try != 0;
diff --git a/src/H5Fpublic.h b/src/H5Fpublic.h
index 9bf3658d02..c2bfb21656 100644
--- a/src/H5Fpublic.h
+++ b/src/H5Fpublic.h
@@ -229,7 +229,6 @@ typedef struct H5F_vfd_swmr_config_t {
     int32_t     md_pages_reserved;
     char        md_file_path[H5F__MAX_VFD_SWMR_FILE_NAME_LEN + 1];
     char        log_file_path[H5F__MAX_VFD_SWMR_FILE_NAME_LEN + 1];
-    unsigned    md_open_tries;
 } H5F_vfd_swmr_config_t;
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/H5Pfapl.c b/src/H5Pfapl.c
index 1f1f67bd73..71ab4759d1 100644
--- a/src/H5Pfapl.c
+++ b/src/H5Pfapl.c
@@ -5113,11 +5113,6 @@ H5Pset_vfd_swmr_config(hid_t plist_id, H5F_vfd_swmr_config_t *config_ptr)
     else if(name_len > H5F__MAX_VFD_SWMR_FILE_NAME_LEN)
         HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_PLIST, H5E_BADVALUE, FAIL, "md_file_path is too long")
 
-    if (config_ptr->md_open_tries == 0)
-        config_ptr->md_open_tries = H5FD_VFD_SWMR_MD_FILE_RETRY_MAX;
-    else if (config_ptr->md_open_tries > H5FD_VFD_SWMR_MD_FILE_RETRY_MAX)
-        HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_PLIST, H5E_BADVALUE, FAIL, "md_open_tries is too long")
-
     /* Set the modified config */
     if(H5P_set(plist, H5F_ACS_VFD_SWMR_CONFIG_NAME, config_ptr) < 0)
         HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_PLIST, H5E_CANTSET, FAIL, "can't set metadata cache initial config")
diff --git a/test/page_buffer.c b/test/page_buffer.c
index 1239b36a72..38f4529015 100644
--- a/test/page_buffer.c
+++ b/test/page_buffer.c
@@ -115,9 +115,6 @@ swmr_fapl_augment(hid_t fapl, const char *filename, uint32_t max_lag)
     , .max_lag = 5
     , .vfd_swmr_writer = true
     , .md_pages_reserved = 128
-#if 0
-    , .md_open_tries = 1
-#endif
     };
     const char *dname;
     char *tname;