diff --git a/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc b/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc
index 45937808d0..d97f24fe63 100644
--- a/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc
+++ b/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc
@@ -155,7 +155,6 @@ std::u16string MediaStringProvider(media::MessageId id) {
 }
 
 #if defined(OS_LINUX)
-
 void OverrideLinuxAppDataPath() {
   base::FilePath path;
   if (base::PathService::Get(DIR_APP_DATA, &path))
@@ -376,24 +375,8 @@ void ElectronBrowserMainParts::PostDestroyThreads() {
   fake_browser_process_->PostDestroyThreads();
 }
 
-#if defined(OS_LINUX)
-// static
-base::Optional<std::string>& ElectronBrowserMainParts::GetGDKBackend() {
-  static base::Optional<std::string> gdk_backend;
-  return gdk_backend;
-}
-#endif
-
 void ElectronBrowserMainParts::ToolkitInitialized() {
 #if defined(OS_LINUX)
-  // This is set by Chromium here:
-  // https://chromium-review.googlesource.com/c/chromium/src/+/2586184
-  // and can detrimentally affect external app behaviors, so we want to
-  // check if the user has set it so we can use it later.
-  std::string backend;
-  if (base::Environment::Create()->GetVar("GDK_BACKEND", &backend))
-    GetGDKBackend().reset(backend);
-
   auto linux_ui = BuildGtkUi();
   linux_ui->Initialize();
 
diff --git a/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.h b/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.h
index 22c92e76a3..d385e5ef7e 100644
--- a/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.h
+++ b/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.h
@@ -88,11 +88,6 @@ class ElectronBrowserMainParts : public content::BrowserMainParts {
   Browser* browser() { return browser_.get(); }
   BrowserProcessImpl* browser_process() { return fake_browser_process_.get(); }
 
-#if defined(OS_LINUX)
-  // Used by platform_util to set GDK_BACKEND.
-  static base::Optional<std::string>& GetGDKBackend();
-#endif
-
  protected:
   // content::BrowserMainParts:
   int PreEarlyInitialization() override;
diff --git a/shell/common/platform_util_linux.cc b/shell/common/platform_util_linux.cc
index b9895e4ddc..a54b0144aa 100644
--- a/shell/common/platform_util_linux.cc
+++ b/shell/common/platform_util_linux.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #include "dbus/bus.h"
 #include "dbus/message.h"
 #include "dbus/object_proxy.h"
-#include "shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.h"
 #include "shell/common/platform_util_internal.h"
 #include "ui/gtk/gtk_util.h"
 #include "url/gurl.h"
@@ -123,18 +122,6 @@ bool XDGUtil(const std::vector<std::string>& argv,
   // bring up a new terminal if necessary.  See "man mailcap".
   options.environment["MM_NOTTTY"] = "1";
 
-  // If the user set a GDK_BACKEND value of their own, use that,
-  // otherwise unset it becuase Chromium is setting GDK_BACKEND
-  // during GTK initialization and we want to respect user preference.
-  // Setting values in EnvironmentMap to an empty-string
-  // will make sure that they get unset from the environment via
-  // AlterEnvironment().
-  const base::Optional<std::string>& gdk_backend =
-      electron::ElectronBrowserMainParts::GetGDKBackend();
-  options.environment["GDK_BACKEND"] = gdk_backend.has_value()
-                                           ? gdk_backend.value().c_str()
-                                           : base::NativeEnvironmentString();
-
   base::Process process = base::LaunchProcess(argv, options);
   if (!process.IsValid())
     return false;
diff --git a/spec-main/chromium-spec.ts b/spec-main/chromium-spec.ts
index 512583f382..c27f652c76 100644
--- a/spec-main/chromium-spec.ts
+++ b/spec-main/chromium-spec.ts
@@ -367,13 +367,6 @@ describe('web security', () => {
   });
 });
 
-ifdescribe(process.platform === 'linux')('subprocesses', () => {
-  it('does not propagate GDK_BACKEND', () => {
-    const backend = process.env.GDK_BACKEND;
-    expect(backend).to.eq(null);
-  });
-});
-
 describe('command line switches', () => {
   let appProcess: ChildProcess.ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams | undefined;
   afterEach(() => {