diff --git a/ui/sdl.c b/ui/sdl.c
index f3adbb7a64..2c85482b5e 100644
--- a/ui/sdl.c
+++ b/ui/sdl.c
@@ -364,12 +364,7 @@ static void sdl_update_caption(void)
     if (!runstate_is_running())
         status = " [Stopped]";
     else if (gui_grab) {
-        if (alt_grab)
-            status = " - Press Ctrl-Alt-Shift to exit mouse grab";
-        else if (ctrl_grab)
-            status = " - Press Right-Ctrl to exit mouse grab";
-        else
-            status = " - Press Ctrl-Alt to exit mouse grab";
+        status = " - Press Ctrl-Alt to exit mouse grab";
     }
 
     if (qemu_name) {
@@ -556,14 +551,7 @@ static void handle_keydown(SDL_Event *ev)
     int mod_state;
     int keycode;
 
-    if (alt_grab) {
-        mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & (gui_grab_code | KMOD_LSHIFT)) ==
-                    (gui_grab_code | KMOD_LSHIFT);
-    } else if (ctrl_grab) {
-        mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & KMOD_RCTRL) == KMOD_RCTRL;
-    } else {
-        mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & gui_grab_code) == gui_grab_code;
-    }
+    mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & gui_grab_code) == gui_grab_code;
     gui_key_modifier_pressed = mod_state;
 
     if (gui_key_modifier_pressed) {
@@ -701,11 +689,7 @@ static void handle_keyup(SDL_Event *ev)
 {
     int mod_state;
 
-    if (!alt_grab) {
-        mod_state = (ev->key.keysym.mod & gui_grab_code);
-    } else {
-        mod_state = (ev->key.keysym.mod & (gui_grab_code | KMOD_LSHIFT));
-    }
+    mod_state = (ev->key.keysym.mod & gui_grab_code);
     if (!mod_state && gui_key_modifier_pressed) {
         gui_key_modifier_pressed = 0;
         if (gui_keysym == 0) {
diff --git a/ui/sdl2.c b/ui/sdl2.c
index 3802a9b477..e15566877b 100644
--- a/ui/sdl2.c
+++ b/ui/sdl2.c
@@ -139,13 +139,7 @@ static void sdl_update_caption(struct sdl2_console *scon)
     if (!runstate_is_running()) {
         status = " [Stopped]";
     } else if (gui_grab) {
-        if (alt_grab) {
-            status = " - Press Ctrl-Alt-Shift to exit grab";
-        } else if (ctrl_grab) {
-            status = " - Press Right-Ctrl to exit grab";
-        } else {
-            status = " - Press Ctrl-Alt to exit grab";
-        }
+        status = " - Press Ctrl-Alt to exit grab";
     }
 
     if (qemu_name) {
@@ -336,14 +330,7 @@ static void handle_keydown(SDL_Event *ev)
     int mod_state, win;
     struct sdl2_console *scon = get_scon_from_window(ev->key.windowID);
 
-    if (alt_grab) {
-        mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & (gui_grab_code | KMOD_LSHIFT)) ==
-            (gui_grab_code | KMOD_LSHIFT);
-    } else if (ctrl_grab) {
-        mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & KMOD_RCTRL) == KMOD_RCTRL;
-    } else {
-        mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & gui_grab_code) == gui_grab_code;
-    }
+    mod_state = (SDL_GetModState() & gui_grab_code) == gui_grab_code;
     gui_key_modifier_pressed = mod_state;
 
     if (gui_key_modifier_pressed) {
@@ -420,11 +407,7 @@ static void handle_keyup(SDL_Event *ev)
     int mod_state;
     struct sdl2_console *scon = get_scon_from_window(ev->key.windowID);
 
-    if (!alt_grab) {
-        mod_state = (ev->key.keysym.mod & gui_grab_code);
-    } else {
-        mod_state = (ev->key.keysym.mod & (gui_grab_code | KMOD_LSHIFT));
-    }
+    mod_state = (ev->key.keysym.mod & gui_grab_code);
     if (!mod_state && gui_key_modifier_pressed) {
         gui_key_modifier_pressed = 0;
         if (gui_keysym == 0) {
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 0065161240..4467d5e50a 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -175,8 +175,6 @@ QEMUOptionRom option_rom[MAX_OPTION_ROMS];
 int nb_option_roms;
 int old_param = 0;
 const char *qemu_name;
-int alt_grab = 0;
-int ctrl_grab = 0;
 unsigned int nb_prom_envs = 0;
 const char *prom_envs[MAX_PROM_ENVS];
 int boot_menu;
@@ -2167,22 +2165,10 @@ static DisplayType select_display(const char *p)
                 warn_report("frame sdl option is unsupported, ignoring");
             } else if (strstart(opts, ",alt_grab=", &nextopt)) {
                 opts = nextopt;
-                if (strstart(opts, "on", &nextopt)) {
-                    alt_grab = 1;
-                } else if (strstart(opts, "off", &nextopt)) {
-                    alt_grab = 0;
-                } else {
-                    goto invalid_sdl_args;
-                }
+                warn_report("ctrl_grab sdl option is unsupported, ignoring");
             } else if (strstart(opts, ",ctrl_grab=", &nextopt)) {
                 opts = nextopt;
-                if (strstart(opts, "on", &nextopt)) {
-                    ctrl_grab = 1;
-                } else if (strstart(opts, "off", &nextopt)) {
-                    ctrl_grab = 0;
-                } else {
-                    goto invalid_sdl_args;
-                }
+                warn_report("alt_grab sdl option is unsupported, ignoring");
             } else if (strstart(opts, ",window_close=", &nextopt)) {
                 opts = nextopt;
                 if (strstart(opts, "on", &nextopt)) {
@@ -3780,10 +3766,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                 warn_report("-no-frame switch is unsupported, ignoring");
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_alt_grab:
-                alt_grab = 1;
+                warn_report("-alt-grab switch is unsupported, ignoring");
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_ctrl_grab:
-                ctrl_grab = 1;
+                warn_report("-ctrl-grab switch is unsupported, ignoring");
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_no_quit:
                 no_quit = 1;
@@ -4451,10 +4437,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 #endif
     }
 
-    if ((alt_grab || ctrl_grab) && display_type != DT_SDL) {
-        error_report("-no-frame, -alt-grab and -ctrl-grab are only valid "
-                     "for SDL, ignoring option");
-    }
     if (no_quit && (display_type != DT_GTK && display_type != DT_SDL)) {
         error_report("-no-quit is only valid for GTK and SDL, "
                      "ignoring option");
