diff --git a/beets/config_default.yaml b/beets/config_default.yaml
index ae0882542..78f16d051 100644
--- a/beets/config_default.yaml
+++ b/beets/config_default.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import:
     flat: no
     group_albums: no
     pretend: false
-    detailed: false
 
 clutter: ["Thumbs.DB", ".DS_Store"]
 ignore: [".*", "*~", "System Volume Information"]
diff --git a/beets/importer.py b/beets/importer.py
index 632eda30c..6bf0e91a9 100644
--- a/beets/importer.py
+++ b/beets/importer.py
@@ -1299,16 +1299,11 @@ def manipulate_files(session, task):
 def log_files(session, task):
     """A coroutine (pipeline stage) to log each file which will be imported
     """
-    detailed = config['import']['detailed'].get()
     if isinstance(task, SingletonImportTask):
-        if detailed:
-            log.info(
-                'Singleton: {0}'.format(displayable_path(task.item['path'])))
-        else:
-            log.info(displayable_path(task.item['path']))
+        log.info(
+            'Singleton: {0}'.format(displayable_path(task.item['path'])))
     elif task.items:
-        if detailed:
-            log.info('Album {0}'.format(displayable_path(task.paths[0])))
+        log.info('Album {0}'.format(displayable_path(task.paths[0])))
         for item in task.items:
             log.info(displayable_path(item['path']))
 
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 8f369a213..546fe87d9 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -947,10 +947,6 @@ import_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '--pretend', dest='pretend', action='store_true',
     help='just print the files to import'
 )
-import_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '--detailed', dest='detailed', action='store_true',
-    help='use in conjunction with --pretend to get sophisticated output'
-)
 import_cmd.func = import_func
 default_commands.append(import_cmd)
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/cli.rst b/docs/reference/cli.rst
index baee5423b..e569c073c 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cli.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/cli.rst
@@ -132,10 +132,6 @@ Optional command flags:
   option. If set, beets will just print a list of files that it would
   otherwise import.
 
-* To get a more detailed output with the ``--pretend`` option, you can use the
-  ``--detailed`` flag. This way you can see which tracks beets think should
-  belong to an album.
-
 .. _rarfile: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/rarfile/2.2
 
 .. only:: html
diff --git a/test/test_importer.py b/test/test_importer.py
index 5516d3100..3b55bf8c5 100644
--- a/test/test_importer.py
+++ b/test/test_importer.py
@@ -1573,9 +1573,7 @@ class ImportPretendTest(_common.TestCase, ImportHelper):
         os.makedirs(path)
         self.empty_path = path
 
-    def __run(self, import_paths, singletons=True, detailed=False):
-        config['import']['detailed'] = detailed
-
+    def __run(self, import_paths, singletons=True):
         self._setup_import_session(singletons=singletons)
         self.importer.paths = import_paths
 
@@ -1589,26 +1587,15 @@ class ImportPretendTest(_common.TestCase, ImportHelper):
 
         return logs
 
-    def test_import_pretend(self):
+    def test_import_singletons_pretend(self):
         logs = self.__run(self.import_paths)
 
-        self.assertEqual(logs, self.import_files)
-
-    def test_import_pretend_empty(self):
-        logs = self.__run([self.empty_path])
-
-        self.assertEqual(logs, ['No files imported from {0}'
-                         .format(displayable_path(self.empty_path))])
-
-    def test_import_singletons_pretend_detailed(self):
-        logs = self.__run(self.import_paths, detailed=True)
-
         self.assertEqual(logs, [
             'Singleton: %s' % self.import_files[0],
             'Singleton: %s' % self.import_paths[1]])
 
-    def test_import_album_pretend_detailed(self):
-        logs = self.__run(self.import_paths, singletons=False, detailed=True)
+    def test_import_album_pretend(self):
+        logs = self.__run(self.import_paths, singletons=False)
 
         self.assertEqual(logs, [
             'Album %s' % displayable_path(self.import_paths[0]),
@@ -1616,8 +1603,8 @@ class ImportPretendTest(_common.TestCase, ImportHelper):
             'Album %s' % displayable_path(self.import_paths[1]),
             self.import_paths[1]])
 
-    def test_import_pretend_empty_detailed(self):
-        logs = self.__run([self.empty_path], detailed=True)
+    def test_import_pretend_empty(self):
+        logs = self.__run([self.empty_path])
 
         self.assertEqual(logs, ['No files imported from {0}'
                          .format(displayable_path(self.empty_path))])