diff --git a/cms/conftest.py b/cms/conftest.py
index dc360e3df14b..80d971070a83 100644
--- a/cms/conftest.py
+++ b/cms/conftest.py
@@ -6,10 +6,7 @@
 only running cms tests.
 """
 
-
-import importlib
 import logging
-import os
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -29,13 +26,6 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
     else:
         logging.info("pytest did not register json_report correctly")
 
-    if config.getoption('help'):
-        return
-    settings_module = os.environ.get('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE')
-    startup_module = 'cms.startup' if settings_module.startswith('cms') else 'lms.startup'
-    startup = importlib.import_module(startup_module)
-    startup.run()
-
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope='function')
 def _django_clear_site_cache():
diff --git a/cms/startup.py b/cms/startup.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 5500dc6424e5..000000000000
--- a/cms/startup.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Module for code that should run during Studio startup (deprecated)
-"""
-
-
-import django
-from django.conf import settings
-
-# Force settings to run so that the python path is modified
-settings.INSTALLED_APPS  # pylint: disable=pointless-statement
-
-
-def run():
-    """
-    Executed during django startup
-
-    NOTE: DO **NOT** add additional code to this method or this file! The Platform Team
-          is moving all startup code to more standard locations using Django best practices.
-    """
-    django.setup()
diff --git a/cms/wsgi.py b/cms/wsgi.py
index 0ccd953d98dd..9c9af4299844 100644
--- a/cms/wsgi.py
+++ b/cms/wsgi.py
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@
 import os  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
 os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "cms.envs.aws")
 
-import cms.startup as startup  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
-startup.run()
-
 # This application object is used by the development server
 # as well as any WSGI server configured to use this file.
 from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
diff --git a/lms/startup.py b/lms/startup.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ed1ad1caba29..000000000000
--- a/lms/startup.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Module for code that should run during LMS startup (deprecated)
-"""
-
-
-import django
-from django.conf import settings
-
-# Force settings to run so that the python path is modified
-settings.INSTALLED_APPS  # pylint: disable=pointless-statement
-
-
-def run():
-    """
-    Executed during django startup
-
-    NOTE: DO **NOT** add additional code to this method or this file! The Platform Team
-          is moving all startup code to more standard locations using Django best practices.
-    """
-    django.setup()
diff --git a/lms/wsgi.py b/lms/wsgi.py
index 169b6929fbfa..0321c827ccf5 100644
--- a/lms/wsgi.py
+++ b/lms/wsgi.py
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
 import os  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
 os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "lms.envs.aws")
 
-import lms.startup as startup  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
-startup.run()
-
 # This application object is used by the development server
 # as well as any WSGI server configured to use this file.
 from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
diff --git a/lms/wsgi_apache_lms.py b/lms/wsgi_apache_lms.py
index e40be055d493..d1c6013e2bfc 100644
--- a/lms/wsgi_apache_lms.py
+++ b/lms/wsgi_apache_lms.py
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@
 os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "lms.envs.aws")
 os.environ.setdefault("SERVICE_VARIANT", "lms")
 
-import lms.startup as startup  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
-startup.run()
-
 # This application object is used by the development server
 # as well as any WSGI server configured to use this file.
 from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
diff --git a/manage.py b/manage.py
index 98bcc4071799..07fa6de2f6e1 100755
--- a/manage.py
+++ b/manage.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 """
 # pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
 
-
 from openedx.core.lib.logsettings import log_python_warnings
 log_python_warnings()
 
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@
 from openedx.core.lib.safe_lxml import defuse_xml_libs  # isort:skip
 defuse_xml_libs()
 
-import importlib
 import os
 import sys
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
@@ -51,7 +49,6 @@ def parse_args():
         help_string=lms.format_help(),
         settings_base='lms/envs',
         default_settings='lms.envs.devstack_docker',
-        startup='lms.startup',
     )
 
     cms = subparsers.add_parser(
@@ -70,7 +67,6 @@ def parse_args():
         settings_base='cms/envs',
         default_settings='cms.envs.devstack_docker',
         service_variant='cms',
-        startup='cms.startup',
     )
 
     edx_args, django_args = parser.parse_known_args()
@@ -99,8 +95,5 @@ def parse_args():
         # This will trigger django-admin.py to print out its help
         django_args.append('--help')
 
-    startup = importlib.import_module(edx_args.startup)
-    startup.run()
-
     from django.core.management import execute_from_command_line
     execute_from_command_line([sys.argv[0]] + django_args)
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/catalog/models.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/catalog/models.py
index e44a7839b38a..98a012e3c365 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/catalog/models.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/catalog/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 """Models governing integration with the catalog service."""
-
-
 from config_models.models import ConfigurationModel
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
@@ -9,6 +7,8 @@
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.site_configuration import helpers
 
+User = get_user_model()
+
 
 class CatalogIntegration(ConfigurationModel):
     """
@@ -72,7 +72,4 @@ def get_internal_api_url(self):
         return helpers.get_value('COURSE_CATALOG_API_URL', settings.COURSE_CATALOG_API_URL)
 
     def get_service_user(self):
-        # NOTE: We load the user model here to avoid issues at startup time that result from the hacks
-        # in lms/startup.py.
-        User = get_user_model()  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
         return User.objects.get(username=self.service_username)
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/monkey_patch/__init__.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/monkey_patch/__init__.py
index ed4b9fc26198..1a28af925797 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/monkey_patch/__init__.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/monkey_patch/__init__.py
@@ -6,9 +6,8 @@
 * USE WITH CAUTION *
 No, but seriously, you probably never really want to make changes here.
 This module contains methods to monkey-patch [0] the edx-platform.
-Patches are to be applied as early as possible in the callstack
-(currently lms/startup.py and cms/startup.py). Consequently, changes
-made here will affect the entire platform.
+Patches are to be applied as early as possible in the callstack). Consequently,
+changes made here will affect the entire platform.
 
 That said, if you've decided you really need to monkey-patch the
 platform (and you've convinced enough people that this is best
@@ -25,8 +24,7 @@
         - is_patched
         - patch
         - unpatch
-    - Add the following code where needed (typically cms/startup.py and
-      lms/startup.py):
+    - Add the following code where needed:
         ```
         from openedx.core.djangoapps.monkey_patch import your_module
         your_module.patch()