diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.cpp
index 8c5ebfed289..92d7d0ea7eb 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
@@ -117,9 +117,6 @@ MetaspaceArena::MetaspaceArena(ChunkManager* chunk_manager, const ArenaGrowthPol
   _fbl(nullptr),
   _total_used_words_counter(total_used_words_counter),
   _name(name)
-#ifdef ASSERT
-  , _first_fence(nullptr)
-#endif
 {
   UL(debug, ": born.");
 
@@ -128,14 +125,7 @@ MetaspaceArena::MetaspaceArena(ChunkManager* chunk_manager, const ArenaGrowthPol
 }
 
 MetaspaceArena::~MetaspaceArena() {
-#ifdef ASSERT
-  SOMETIMES(verify();)
-  if (Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    verify_allocation_guards();
-  }
-#endif
   MemRangeCounter return_counter;
-
   Metachunk* c = _chunks.first();
   Metachunk* c2 = nullptr;
 
@@ -239,23 +229,6 @@ MetaWord* MetaspaceArena::allocate(size_t requested_word_size) {
   // Primary allocation
   p = allocate_inner(aligned_word_size);
 
-#ifdef ASSERT
-  // Fence allocation
-  if (p != nullptr && Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    STATIC_ASSERT(is_aligned(sizeof(Fence), BytesPerWord));
-    MetaWord* guard = allocate_inner(sizeof(Fence) / BytesPerWord);
-    if (guard != nullptr) {
-      // Ignore allocation errors for the fence to keep coding simple. If this
-      // happens (e.g. because right at this time we hit the Metaspace GC threshold)
-      // we miss adding this one fence. Not a big deal. Note that his would
-      // be pretty rare. Chances are much higher the primary allocation above
-      // would have already failed).
-      Fence* f = new(guard) Fence(_first_fence);
-      _first_fence = f;
-    }
-  }
-#endif // ASSERT
-
   return p;
 }
 
@@ -427,18 +400,6 @@ void MetaspaceArena::verify() const {
   }
 }
 
-void MetaspaceArena::Fence::verify() const {
-  assert(_eye1 == EyeCatcher && _eye2 == EyeCatcher,
-         "Metaspace corruption: fence block at " PTR_FORMAT " broken.", p2i(this));
-}
-
-void MetaspaceArena::verify_allocation_guards() const {
-  assert(Settings::use_allocation_guard(), "Don't call with guards disabled.");
-  for (const Fence* f = _first_fence; f != nullptr; f = f->next()) {
-    f->verify();
-  }
-}
-
 // Returns true if the area indicated by pointer and size have actually been allocated
 // from this arena.
 bool MetaspaceArena::is_valid_area(MetaWord* p, size_t word_size) const {
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.hpp
index 58d80e97e17..77eb939c6b4 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2020 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
@@ -100,28 +100,6 @@ class MetaspaceArena : public CHeapObj<mtClass> {
   // A name for purely debugging/logging purposes.
   const char* const _name;
 
-#ifdef ASSERT
-  // Allocation guards: When active, arena allocations are interleaved with
-  //  fence allocations. An overwritten fence indicates a buffer overrun in either
-  //  the preceding or the following user block. All fences are linked together;
-  //  validating the fences just means walking that linked list.
-  // Note that for the Arena, fence blocks are just another form of user blocks.
-  class Fence {
-    static const uintx EyeCatcher =
-      NOT_LP64(0x77698465) LP64_ONLY(0x7769846577698465ULL); // "META" resp "METAMETA"
-    // Two eyecatchers to easily spot a corrupted _next pointer
-    const uintx _eye1;
-    const Fence* const _next;
-    NOT_LP64(uintx _dummy;)
-    const uintx _eye2;
-  public:
-    Fence(const Fence* next) : _eye1(EyeCatcher), _next(next), _eye2(EyeCatcher) {}
-    const Fence* next() const { return _next; }
-    void verify() const;
-  };
-  const Fence* _first_fence;
-#endif // ASSERT
-
   ChunkManager* chunk_manager() const           { return _chunk_manager; }
 
   // free block list
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.cpp
index 7dc742755b6..b812341a2da 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 
 namespace metaspace {
 
-DEBUG_ONLY(bool Settings::_use_allocation_guard = false;)
-
 void Settings::ergo_initialize() {
 
   // Granules must be a multiple of page size, and a power-2-value.
@@ -46,9 +44,6 @@ void Settings::ergo_initialize() {
          "Granule size must be a page-size-aligned power-of-2 value");
   assert(commit_granule_words() <= chunklevel::MAX_CHUNK_WORD_SIZE, "Too large granule size");
 
-  // Off for release builds, off by default - but switchable - for debug builds.
-  DEBUG_ONLY(_use_allocation_guard = MetaspaceGuardAllocations;)
-
   LogStream ls(Log(metaspace)::info());
   Settings::print_on(&ls);
 }
@@ -58,7 +53,6 @@ void Settings::print_on(outputStream* st) {
   st->print_cr(" - commit_granule_words: " SIZE_FORMAT ".", commit_granule_words());
   st->print_cr(" - virtual_space_node_default_size: " SIZE_FORMAT ".", virtual_space_node_default_word_size());
   st->print_cr(" - enlarge_chunks_in_place: %d.", (int)enlarge_chunks_in_place());
-  st->print_cr(" - use_allocation_guard: %d.", (int)use_allocation_guard());
 }
 
 } // namespace metaspace
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.hpp
index 93be0eb6fe6..84dcf8d2f0f 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -56,9 +56,6 @@ class Settings : public AllStatic {
   // the requested size, we attempt to double the chunk size in place...
   static const bool _enlarge_chunks_in_place = true;
 
-  // If true, metablock allocations are guarded and periodically checked.
-  DEBUG_ONLY(static bool _use_allocation_guard;)
-
 public:
 
   static size_t commit_granule_bytes()                        { return _commit_granule_bytes; }
@@ -66,7 +63,6 @@ public:
   static size_t virtual_space_node_default_word_size()        { return _virtual_space_node_default_word_size; }
   static size_t virtual_space_node_reserve_alignment_words()  { return _virtual_space_node_reserve_alignment_words; }
   static bool enlarge_chunks_in_place()                       { return _enlarge_chunks_in_place; }
-  static bool use_allocation_guard()                          { return DEBUG_ONLY(_use_allocation_guard) NOT_DEBUG(false); }
 
   static void ergo_initialize();
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/globals.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/globals.hpp
index 468e9bd8800..cbd161d86eb 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/globals.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/globals.hpp
@@ -1408,9 +1408,6 @@ const int ObjectAlignmentInBytes = 8;
   product(bool, PrintMetaspaceStatisticsAtExit, false, DIAGNOSTIC,          \
           "Print metaspace statistics upon VM exit.")                       \
                                                                             \
-  develop(bool, MetaspaceGuardAllocations, false,                           \
-          "Metapace allocations are guarded.")                              \
-                                                                            \
   product(uintx, MinHeapFreeRatio, 40, MANAGEABLE,                          \
           "The minimum percentage of heap free after GC to avoid expansion."\
           " For most GCs this applies to the old generation. In G1 and"     \
diff --git a/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_allocationGuard.cpp b/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_allocationGuard.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 9b0eb3d69a5..00000000000
--- a/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_allocationGuard.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2020 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
- * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
- *
- * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
- * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
- * published by the Free Software Foundation.
- *
- * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
- * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
- * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
- * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
- * accompanied this code).
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
- * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
- * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
- *
- * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
- * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
- * questions.
- *
- */
-
-#include "precompiled.hpp"
-#include "memory/metaspace/metaspaceArena.hpp"
-#include "memory/metaspace/metaspaceSettings.hpp"
-#include "memory/metaspace/testHelpers.hpp"
-#include "utilities/debug.hpp"
-#include "utilities/ostream.hpp"
-
-//#define LOG_PLEASE
-#include "metaspaceGtestCommon.hpp"
-#include "metaspaceGtestContexts.hpp"
-
-#ifdef ASSERT
-
-using metaspace::MetaspaceArena;
-using metaspace::MetaspaceTestArena;
-using metaspace::Settings;
-
-// Test that overwriting memory triggers an assert if allocation guards are enabled.
-//  Note: We use TEST_VM_ASSERT_MSG. However, an assert is only triggered if allocation
-//  guards are enabled; if guards are disabled for the gtests, this test would fail.
-//  So for that case, we trigger a fake assert.
-TEST_VM_ASSERT_MSG(metaspace, test_overwriter, ".*Metaspace corruption.*") {
-
-  if (Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    MetaspaceGtestContext context;
-    MetaspaceTestArena* arena = context.create_arena(Metaspace::StandardMetaspaceType);
-    // We allocate two blocks. We then write over the end of the first block, which
-    //  should corrupt the fence between the two blocks.
-    // Note: there is of course no guarantee that blocks allocated sequentially are neighbors;
-    //  but in this case (clean standard-sized test arena and very small allocations) it can
-    //  be safely assumed).
-    MetaWord* p1 = arena->allocate(8);
-    MetaWord* p2 = arena->allocate(2);
-    p1[8] = (MetaWord)0x9345; // Overwriter
-    // Now we delete the arena (as happens during class unloading); this will check all
-    // block canaries and should trigger an assert (see MetaspaceArena::verify_allocation_guards()).
-    delete arena;
-  } else {
-    assert(false, "Metaspace corruption - please ignore this, fake message to satisfy tests");
-  }
-
-}
-
-#endif // ASSERT
diff --git a/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena.cpp b/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena.cpp
index f7474da22c0..aee53ea32aa 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena.cpp
+++ b/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena.cpp
@@ -291,11 +291,6 @@ TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_test_enlarge_in_place_micro_nc) {
 //  Here, we give it an ideal policy which should enable the initial chunk to grow unmolested
 //  until finish.
 TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_test_enlarge_in_place_2) {
-
-  if (Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   // Note: internally, chunk in-place enlargement is disallowed if growing the chunk
   //  would cause the arena to claim more memory than its growth policy allows. This
   //  is done to prevent the arena to grow too fast.
@@ -337,11 +332,6 @@ TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_test_enlarge_in_place_2) {
 //  test that in place enlargement correctly fails if growing the chunk would bring us
 //  beyond the max. size of a chunk.
 TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_test_failing_to_enlarge_in_place_max_chunk_size) {
-
-  if (Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   MetaspaceGtestContext context;
 
   for (size_t first_allocation_size = 1; first_allocation_size <= MAX_CHUNK_WORD_SIZE / 2; first_allocation_size *= 2) {
@@ -372,11 +362,6 @@ TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_test_failing_to_enlarge_in_place_max_chunk_siz
 //  test that in place enlargement correctly fails if growing the chunk would cause more
 //  than doubling its size
 TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_test_failing_to_enlarge_in_place_doubling_chunk_size) {
-
-  if (Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   MetaspaceGtestContext context;
   MetaspaceArenaTestHelper helper(context, Metaspace::StandardMetaspaceType, false);
 
@@ -399,9 +384,6 @@ TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_test_failing_to_enlarge_in_place_doubling_chun
 // Allocate, deallocate, then allocate the same block again. The second allocate should
 // reuse the deallocated block.
 TEST_VM(metaspace, MetaspaceArena_deallocate) {
-  if (Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    return;
-  }
   for (size_t s = 2; s <= MAX_CHUNK_WORD_SIZE; s *= 2) {
     MetaspaceGtestContext context;
     MetaspaceArenaTestHelper helper(context, Metaspace::StandardMetaspaceType, false);
@@ -505,10 +487,6 @@ static void test_controlled_growth(Metaspace::MetaspaceType type, bool is_class,
                                    bool test_in_place_enlargement)
 {
 
-  if (Settings::use_allocation_guard()) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   // From a MetaspaceArena in a clean room allocate tiny amounts;
   // watch it grow. Used/committed/capacity should not grow in
   // large jumps. Also, different types of MetaspaceArena should
diff --git a/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena_stress.cpp b/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena_stress.cpp
index 7d3df079802..e94f733e45b 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena_stress.cpp
+++ b/test/hotspot/gtest/metaspace/test_metaspacearena_stress.cpp
@@ -106,15 +106,13 @@ class MetaspaceArenaTestBed : public CHeapObj<mtInternal> {
     // - alignment/padding of allocations
     // - inside used counter contains blocks in free list
     // - free block list splinter threshold
-    // - if +MetaspaceGuardAllocations, guard costs
 
     // Since what we deallocated may have been given back to us in a following allocation,
     // we only know fore sure we allocated what we did not give back.
     const size_t at_least_allocated = _alloc_count.total_size() - _dealloc_count.total_size();
 
     // At most we allocated this:
-    const size_t max_word_overhead_per_alloc =
-        4 + (metaspace::Settings::use_allocation_guard() ? 4 : 0);
+    constexpr size_t max_word_overhead_per_alloc = 4;
     const size_t at_most_allocated = _alloc_count.total_size() + max_word_overhead_per_alloc * _alloc_count.count();
 
     ASSERT_LE(at_least_allocated, in_use_stats._used_words - stats._free_blocks_word_size);
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/gtest/MetaspaceGtests.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/gtest/MetaspaceGtests.java
index 4710c591029..f1f811d6a71 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/gtest/MetaspaceGtests.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/gtest/MetaspaceGtests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@
 
 /*
  * Note: This runs the metaspace-related parts of gtest in configurations which
- *  are not tested explicitly in the standard gtests.
- *
+ *  are not tested explicitly in the standard gtest. Hence, there is no "default-ndebug"
+ *  since that would be equivalent to the normal gtest for release builds.
  */
 
 /* @test id=default-debug
@@ -40,17 +40,7 @@
  * @run main/native GTestWrapper --gtest_filter=metaspace* -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:VerifyMetaspaceInterval=1
  */
 
-/* @test id=balanced-with-guards
- * @summary Run metaspace-related gtests with allocation guards enabled
- * @library /test/lib
- * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
- *          java.xml
- * @requires vm.debug
- * @requires vm.flagless
- * @run main/native GTestWrapper --gtest_filter=metaspace* -XX:VerifyMetaspaceInterval=1 -XX:+MetaspaceGuardAllocations
- */
-
-/* @test id=balanced-no-ccs
+/* @test id=no-ccs
  * @summary Run metaspace-related gtests with compressed class pointers off
  * @library /test/lib
  * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/PrintMetaspaceDcmd.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/PrintMetaspaceDcmd.java
index 56d9c2095b2..42f22309d96 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/PrintMetaspaceDcmd.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/PrintMetaspaceDcmd.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2018, 2021, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2018, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2018, SAP and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
@@ -36,17 +36,6 @@ import jdk.test.lib.JDKToolFinder;
  * @run main/othervm -Dwith-compressed-class-space -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=201M -Xmx100M -XX:+UseCompressedOops -XX:+UseCompressedClassPointers PrintMetaspaceDcmd
  */
 
-/*
- * @test id=test-64bit-ccs-guarded
- * @summary Test the VM.metaspace command
- * @requires vm.bits == "64"
- * @requires vm.debug == true
- * @library /test/lib
- * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
- *          java.management
- * @run main/othervm -Dwith-compressed-class-space -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=201M -Xmx100M -XX:+UseCompressedOops -XX:+UseCompressedClassPointers -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+MetaspaceGuardAllocations PrintMetaspaceDcmd
- */
-
 /*
  * @test id=test-64bit-noccs
  * @summary Test the VM.metaspace command
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/MetaspaceTestContext.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/MetaspaceTestContext.java
index 5061c828c06..fe52317d4dd 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/MetaspaceTestContext.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/MetaspaceTestContext.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -195,17 +195,11 @@ public class MetaspaceTestContext {
         // - whatever we allocated
         // - deallocated blocks in fbl
         // - remains of retired chunks in fbl
-        // - overhead per allocation (padding for alignment, possibly allocation guards)
+        // - overhead per allocation (padding for alignment)
 
         // Overhead per allocation (see metaspaceArena.cpp, get_raw_allocation_word_size() )
         // Any allocation is 3 words least
         expectedMaxUsage += (numAllocated * 3);
-        if (Settings.settings().usesAllocationGuards) {
-            // Guards need space.
-            expectedMaxUsage += (numAllocated * 2);
-            // Also, they disable the fbl, so deallocated still counts as used.
-            expectedMaxUsage += deallocatedWords;
-        }
 
         // Lets add a overhead per arena. Each arena carries a free block list containing
         // deallocated/retired blocks. We do not know how much. In general, the free block list should not
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/Settings.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/Settings.java
index c6d69f341b9..222ce44acc6 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/Settings.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/Settings.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2020 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ import jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox;
 
 public final class Settings {
 
-    public boolean usesAllocationGuards = WhiteBox.getWhiteBox().getBooleanVMFlag("MetaspaceGuardAllocations");
-
     final static long rootChunkWordSize = 2048 * 1024;
 
     static Settings theSettings;
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocation.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocation.java
index 1ecde3f8376..10d05a867fc 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocation.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocation.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -27,30 +27,22 @@
  * @test id=debug
  * @bug 8251158
  * @library /test/lib
- * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
- *          java.management
+ * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc java.management
  * @build jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
  * @requires (vm.debug == true)
- *
  * @run driver jdk.test.lib.helpers.ClassFileInstaller jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
- *
  * @run main/othervm -Xbootclasspath/a:. -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+WhiteBoxAPI  -XX:VerifyMetaspaceInterval=10                                        TestMetaspaceAllocation
- * @run main/othervm -Xbootclasspath/a:. -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+WhiteBoxAPI  -XX:VerifyMetaspaceInterval=10  -XX:+MetaspaceGuardAllocations        TestMetaspaceAllocation
- *
  */
 
 /*
  * @test id=ndebug
  * @bug 8251158
  * @library /test/lib
- * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
- *          java.management
+ * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc java.management
  * @build jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
  * @requires (vm.debug == false)
- *
  * @run driver jdk.test.lib.helpers.ClassFileInstaller jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
- *
- * @run main/othervm -Xbootclasspath/a:. -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+WhiteBoxAPI                                        TestMetaspaceAllocation
+ * @run main/othervm -Xbootclasspath/a:. -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+WhiteBoxAPI TestMetaspaceAllocation
  */
 
 public class TestMetaspaceAllocation {
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT1.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT1.java
index 8bbab2c71e9..5676f2c4bdb 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT1.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT1.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
  */
 
 /*
- * @test id=debug-default-strict
+ * @test id=debug-default-long-manual
  * @library /test/lib
  * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
  *          java.management
@@ -74,24 +74,6 @@
  *      TestMetaspaceAllocationMT1 10
  */
 
-/*
- * @test id=debug-guard
- * @library /test/lib
- * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
- *          java.management
- * @build jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
- * @key randomness
- * @requires (vm.debug == true)
- *
- * @run driver jdk.test.lib.helpers.ClassFileInstaller jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
- *
- * @run main/othervm/timeout=400
- *      -Xbootclasspath/a:. -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+WhiteBoxAPI
- *      -XX:VerifyMetaspaceInterval=10
- *      -XX:+MetaspaceGuardAllocations
- *      TestMetaspaceAllocationMT1 3
- */
-
 /*
  * @test id=ndebug-default
  * @library /test/lib
@@ -130,7 +112,6 @@ public class TestMetaspaceAllocationMT1 {
             System.out.println("#### seconds: " + seconds);
             System.out.println("#### commitLimit: " + commitLimit);
             System.out.println("#### reserveLimit: " + reserveLimit);
-            System.out.println("#### guards: " + Settings.settings().usesAllocationGuards);
 
             MetaspaceTestContext context = new MetaspaceTestContext(commitLimit, reserveLimit);
             MetaspaceTestOneArenaManyThreads test = new MetaspaceTestOneArenaManyThreads(context, testAllocationCeiling, numThreads, seconds);
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT2.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT2.java
index 17e3bb99353..2c6b3923d94 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT2.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Metaspace/elastic/TestMetaspaceAllocationMT2.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2020, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
  */
 
 /*
- * @test id=debug-default-strict
+ * @test id=debug-default-long-manual
  * @library /test/lib
  * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
  *          java.management
@@ -74,24 +74,6 @@
  *      TestMetaspaceAllocationMT2 10
  */
 
-/*
- * @test id=debug-guard
- * @library /test/lib
- * @modules java.base/jdk.internal.misc
- *          java.management
- * @build jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
- * @key randomness
- * @requires (vm.debug == true)
- *
- * @run driver jdk.test.lib.helpers.ClassFileInstaller jdk.test.whitebox.WhiteBox
- *
- * @run main/othervm/timeout=400
- *      -Xbootclasspath/a:. -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+WhiteBoxAPI
- *      -XX:VerifyMetaspaceInterval=10
- *      -XX:+MetaspaceGuardAllocations
- *      TestMetaspaceAllocationMT2 3
- */
-
 /*
  * @test id=ndebug-default
  * @library /test/lib
@@ -129,7 +111,6 @@ public class TestMetaspaceAllocationMT2 {
             System.out.println("#### seconds: " + seconds);
             System.out.println("#### commitLimit: " + commitLimit);
             System.out.println("#### reserveLimit: " + reserveLimit);
-            System.out.println("#### guards: " + Settings.settings().usesAllocationGuards);
 
             MetaspaceTestContext context = new MetaspaceTestContext(commitLimit, reserveLimit);
             MetaspaceTestManyArenasManyThreads test = new MetaspaceTestManyArenasManyThreads(context, testAllocationCeiling, numThreads, seconds);