diff --git a/hgext/histedit.py b/hgext/histedit.py
--- a/hgext/histedit.py
+++ b/hgext/histedit.py
@@ -925,7 +925,6 @@
       _("don't strip old nodes after edit is complete")),
      ('', 'abort', False, _('abort an edit in progress')),
      ('o', 'outgoing', False, _('changesets not found in destination')),
-     ('', 'no-backup', False, _('do not save backup copies of files')),
      ('f', 'force', False,
       _('force outgoing even for unrelated repositories')),
      ('r', 'rev', [], _('first revision to be edited'), _('REV'))] +
@@ -1112,8 +1111,7 @@
     goal = _getgoal(opts)
     revs = opts.get('rev', [])
     # experimental config: ui.history-editing-backup
-    nobackup = (opts.get('no_backup') or
-                not ui.configbool('ui', 'history-editing-backup'))
+    nobackup = not ui.configbool('ui', 'history-editing-backup')
     rules = opts.get('commands', '')
     state.keep = opts.get('keep', False)
 
diff --git a/tests/test-histedit-no-backup.t b/tests/test-histedit-no-backup.t
--- a/tests/test-histedit-no-backup.t
+++ b/tests/test-histedit-no-backup.t
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
   > histedit=
   > EOF
 
+==========================================
+Test history-editing-backup config option|
+==========================================
 Repo setup:
   $ hg init foo
   $ cd foo
@@ -30,72 +33,6 @@
   o  0   36b4bdd91f5b   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
        one
   
-Check when --no-backup is not passed
-  $ hg histedit -r '36b4bdd91f5b' --commands - << EOF
-  > pick 36b4bdd91f5b 0 one
-  > pick 6153eb23e623 1 two
-  > roll 80d23dfa866d 2 three
-  > edit 7d5187087c79 3 four
-  > EOF
-  merging file
-  Editing (7d5187087c79), you may commit or record as needed now.
-  (hg histedit --continue to resume)
-  [1]
-
-  $ hg histedit --abort
-  1 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
-  saved backup bundle to $TESTTMP/foo/.hg/strip-backup/1d8f701c7b35-cf7be322-backup.hg
-  saved backup bundle to $TESTTMP/foo/.hg/strip-backup/5c0056670bce-b54b65d0-backup.hg
-
-  $ hg st
-  $ hg diff
-  $ hg log -G --style compact
-  @  3[tip]   7d5187087c79   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-  |    four
-  |
-  o  2   80d23dfa866d   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-  |    three
-  |
-  o  1   6153eb23e623   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-  |    two
-  |
-  o  0   36b4bdd91f5b   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-       one
-  
-
-Check when --no-backup is passed
-  $ hg histedit -r '36b4bdd91f5b' --commands - << EOF
-  > pick 36b4bdd91f5b 0 one
-  > pick 6153eb23e623 1 two
-  > roll 80d23dfa866d 2 three
-  > edit 7d5187087c79 3 four
-  > EOF
-  merging file
-  Editing (7d5187087c79), you may commit or record as needed now.
-  (hg histedit --continue to resume)
-  [1]
-
-  $ hg histedit --abort --no-backup
-  1 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
-
-  $ hg st
-  $ hg diff
-  $ hg log -G --style compact
-  @  3[tip]   7d5187087c79   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-  |    four
-  |
-  o  2   80d23dfa866d   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-  |    three
-  |
-  o  1   6153eb23e623   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-  |    two
-  |
-  o  0   36b4bdd91f5b   1970-01-01 00:00 +0000   test
-       one
-  
-==========================================
-Test history-editing-backup config option|
-==========================================
 Test when `history-editing-backup` config option is enabled:
   $ hg histedit -r '36b4bdd91f5b' --commands - << EOF
   > pick 36b4bdd91f5b 0 one