diff --git a/docs/src/pages/docs/api.md b/docs/src/pages/docs/api.md
index 072d4c8d77..b2c5332f00 100644
--- a/docs/src/pages/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/src/pages/docs/api.md
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ const {
   refetchInterval,
   refetchIntervalInBackground,
   queryFnParamsFilter,
-  refetchOnMount,
   isDataEqual,
   onError,
   onSuccess,
@@ -112,10 +111,6 @@ const queryInfo = useQuery({
   - Optional
   - If set, this will mark any `initialData` provided as stale and will likely cause it to be refetched on mount
   - If a function is passed, it will be called only when appropriate to resolve the `initialStale` value. This can be useful if your `initialStale` value is costly to calculate.
-- `refetchOnMount: Boolean`
-  - Optional
-  - Defaults to `true`
-  - If set to `false`, will disable additional instances of a query to trigger background refetches
 - `queryFnParamsFilter: Function(args) => filteredArgs`
   - Optional
   - This function will filter the params that get passed to `queryFn`.
@@ -664,7 +659,6 @@ const queryConfig = {
     refetchOnWindowFocus: true,
     refetchInterval: false,
     queryFnParamsFilter: identity,
-    refetchOnMount: true,
     isDataEqual: deepEqual,
     onError: noop,
     onSuccess: noop,
diff --git a/src/core/config.js b/src/core/config.js
index 9222c5c808..6071e5386e 100644
--- a/src/core/config.js
+++ b/src/core/config.js
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ export const DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
     refetchOnWindowFocus: true,
     refetchInterval: false,
     queryFnParamsFilter: identity,
-    refetchOnMount: true,
     isDataEqual: deepEqual,
     onError: noop,
     onSuccess: noop,
diff --git a/src/core/queryInstance.js b/src/core/queryInstance.js
index 6e3d925295..6c8602534d 100644
--- a/src/core/queryInstance.js
+++ b/src/core/queryInstance.js
@@ -50,14 +50,12 @@ export function makeQueryInstance(query, onStateUpdate) {
 
   instance.run = async () => {
     try {
-      // Perform the refetch for this query if necessary
-      if (
+      if(
         query.config.enabled && // Don't auto refetch if disabled
         !query.wasSuspended && // Don't double refetch for suspense
-        query.state.isStale && // Only refetch if stale
-        (query.config.refetchOnMount || query.instances.length === 1)
+        query.state.isStale // Only refetch if stale
       ) {
-        await query.fetch()
+        await query.fetch();
       }
 
       query.wasSuspended = false
diff --git a/src/react/tests/ReactQueryConfigProvider.test.js b/src/react/tests/ReactQueryConfigProvider.test.js
index 9148822a69..ef489429c3 100644
--- a/src/react/tests/ReactQueryConfigProvider.test.js
+++ b/src/react/tests/ReactQueryConfigProvider.test.js
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ describe('ReactQueryConfigProvider', () => {
     const config = {
       queries: {
         refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
-        refetchOnMount: false,
         retry: false,
       },
     }
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ describe('ReactQueryConfigProvider', () => {
     await waitFor(() => rendered.findByText('Data: data'))
 
     // tear down and unmount
-    // so we are NOT passing the config above (refetchOnMount should be `true` by default)
+    // so we are NOT passing the config above
     fireEvent.click(rendered.getByText('unmount'))
 
     act(() => {
@@ -161,15 +160,12 @@ describe('ReactQueryConfigProvider', () => {
 
     const parentConfig = {
       queries: {
-        refetchOnMount: false,
         onSuccess: parentOnSuccess,
       },
     }
 
     const childConfig = {
       queries: {
-        refetchOnMount: true,
-
         // Override onSuccess of parent, making it a no-op
         onSuccess: undefined,
       },
diff --git a/types/index.d.ts b/types/index.d.ts
index dc6e925ccd..6d2cd9453a 100644
--- a/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/types/index.d.ts
@@ -236,7 +236,6 @@ export interface BaseQueryOptions<TResult = unknown, TError = Error> {
   refetchInterval?: false | number
   refetchIntervalInBackground?: boolean
   refetchOnWindowFocus?: boolean
-  refetchOnMount?: boolean
   onSuccess?: (data: TResult) => void
   onError?: (err: TError) => void
   onSettled?: (data: TResult | undefined, error: TError | null) => void