diff --git a/agent.py b/agent.py
index b8ea95e245..379e154ab1 100755
--- a/agent.py
+++ b/agent.py
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ def run(self, agentConfig=None, run_forever=True):
         checksd = load_check_directory(agentConfig)
 
         # Try to fetch instance Id from EC2 if not hostname has been set
-        # in the config file
+        # in the config file.
+        # DEPRECATED
         if agentConfig.get('hostname') is None and agentConfig.get('use_ec2_instance_id'):
             instanceId = EC2.get_instance_id()
             if instanceId is not None:
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index ff0a840e97..eb9c408b7a 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def get_config(parse_args = True, cfg_path=None, init_logging=False, options=Non
         'hostname': None,
         'listen_port': None,
         'tags': None,
-        'use_ec2_instance_id': False,
+        'use_ec2_instance_id': False,  # DEPRECATED
         'version': get_version(),
         'watchdog': True,
     }
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ def get_config(parse_args = True, cfg_path=None, init_logging=False, options=Non
         # Debug mode
         agentConfig['debug_mode'] = config.get('Main', 'debug_mode').lower() in ("yes", "true")
 
+        # DEPRECATED
         if config.has_option('Main', 'use_ec2_instance_id'):
             use_ec2_instance_id = config.get('Main', 'use_ec2_instance_id')
             # translate yes into True, the rest into False
@@ -510,4 +511,4 @@ def load_check_directory(agentConfig):
             'class': check_class
         })
 
-    return checks
\ No newline at end of file
+    return checks
diff --git a/datadog.conf.example b/datadog.conf.example
index f0eb0cd982..0794bafa39 100644
--- a/datadog.conf.example
+++ b/datadog.conf.example
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@ debug_mode: no
 # Set the host's tags
 #tags: mytag0, mytag1
 
-# Use the amazon EC2 instance-id instead of hostname (unless hostname is
-# explicitly set)
-use_ec2_instance_id: no
-
 # Use mount points instead of volumes to track disk and fs metrics
 use_mount: no
 
diff --git a/packaging/datadog-agent/win32/install_files/datadog_win32.conf b/packaging/datadog-agent/win32/install_files/datadog_win32.conf
index 5489287716..6c7690bbb2 100644
--- a/packaging/datadog-agent/win32/install_files/datadog_win32.conf
+++ b/packaging/datadog-agent/win32/install_files/datadog_win32.conf
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@ debug_mode: no
 # Set the host's tags
 #tags: mytag0, mytag1
 
-# Use the amazon EC2 instance-id instead of hostname (unless hostname is
-# explicitly set)
-use_ec2_instance_id: yes
-
 # Use mount points instead of volumes to track disk and fs metrics
 use_mount: no