diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d205ac9eb3..0e4beb2d3b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -968,7 +968,6 @@ endif
 	@echo '  source-check           - check selected packages for valid download URLs'
 	@echo '  external-deps          - list external packages used'
 	@echo '  legal-info             - generate info about license compliance'
-	@echo '  help-custom            - print help about custom actions (if any)'
 	@echo
 	@echo '  make V=0|1             - 0 => quiet build (default), 1 => verbose build'
 	@echo '  make O=dir             - Locate all output files in "dir", including .config'
@@ -977,12 +976,6 @@ endif
 	@echo 'it on-line at http://buildroot.org/docs.html'
 	@echo
 
-# This rule does nothing, it is expected to be overloaded by
-# a br2-external tree or a local.mk . However, it must exist,
-# as we reference it in the main help, above. Making the rule
-# .PHONY does not work.
-help-custom:
-
 list-defconfigs:
 	@echo 'Built-in configs:'
 	@$(foreach b, $(sort $(notdir $(wildcard $(TOPDIR)/configs/*_defconfig))), \
diff --git a/docs/manual/customize-outside-br.txt b/docs/manual/customize-outside-br.txt
index be1827e6ba..9ad177d006 100644
--- a/docs/manual/customize-outside-br.txt
+++ b/docs/manual/customize-outside-br.txt
@@ -107,17 +107,3 @@ And then in +$(BR2_EXTERNAL)/package/package1+ and
    output of +make list-defconfigs+ and allow them to be loaded with the
    normal +make <name>_defconfig+ command. They will be visible under the
    +User-provided configs+' label in the 'make list-defconfigs' output.
-
-Additionally, an +external.mk+ file may define the +help-custom+ make
-rule, to document custom make targets specific to this +BR2_EXTERNAL+
-tree. The help is completely free-form.
-
-------
-help-custom:
-    @echo 'Here goes your local help, where you may'
-    @echo 'describe some custom rules:'
-    @echo '  my-rule       - do something'
-    @echo '  my-other-rule - do something else'
-    @echo
-    @echo 'Please contact support@company.com in case of problem.'
-------