diff --git a/mercurial/configitems.py b/mercurial/configitems.py
--- a/mercurial/configitems.py
+++ b/mercurial/configitems.py
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@
 )
 coreconfigitem('commands', 'update.check',
     default=None,
+    # Deprecated, remove after 4.4 release
+    alias=[('experimental', 'updatecheck')]
 )
 coreconfigitem('commands', 'update.requiredest',
     default=False,
@@ -412,10 +414,6 @@
 coreconfigitem('experimental', 'treemanifest',
     default=False,
 )
-# Deprecated, remove after 4.4 release
-coreconfigitem('experimental', 'updatecheck',
-    default=None,
-)
 coreconfigitem('extensions', '.*',
     default=None,
     generic=True,
diff --git a/mercurial/hg.py b/mercurial/hg.py
--- a/mercurial/hg.py
+++ b/mercurial/hg.py
@@ -758,9 +758,6 @@
     """
     if updatecheck is None:
         updatecheck = ui.config('commands', 'update.check')
-        if updatecheck is None:
-            # pre-4.4 compat on the old spelling of this config item
-            updatecheck = ui.config('experimental', 'updatecheck')
         if updatecheck not in ('abort', 'none', 'linear', 'noconflict'):
             # If not configured, or invalid value configured
             updatecheck = 'linear'