diff --git a/docs/changes.rst b/docs/changes.rst
index 776aada4..47786a56 100644
--- a/docs/changes.rst
+++ b/docs/changes.rst
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ v0.13.0 (in development)
 - Log a warning if a track isn't playable to make it more obvious that backend
   X needs backend Y to be present for playback to work.
 
+- Removed the :attr:`mopidy.settings.DEBUG_THREAD` setting and the
+  :option:`--debug-thread` command line option. Sending SIGUSR1 to
+  the Mopidy process will now always make it log tracebacks for all alive
+  threads.
+
 **Spotify backend**
 
 - Let GStreamer handle time position tracking and seeks. (Fixes: :issue:`191`)
diff --git a/docs/development.rst b/docs/development.rst
index 1211cec4..a0392f81 100644
--- a/docs/development.rst
+++ b/docs/development.rst
@@ -305,10 +305,27 @@ Debugging deadlocks
 
 Between the numerous Pykka threads and GStreamer interactions there can
 sometimes be a potential for deadlocks. In an effort to make these slightly
-simpler to debug the setting :attr:`mopidy.settings.DEBUG_THREAD` or the option
-``--debug-thread`` can be used to turn on an extra debug thread. This thread is
-not linked to the regular program flow, and it's only task is to dump traceback
-showing the other threads state when we get a ``SIGUSR1``.
+simpler to debug Mopidy registers a ``SIGUSR1`` signal handler which logs the
+traceback of all alive threads.
+
+To trigger the signal handler, you need the process ID (PID) of Mopidy. This
+can for example be found by running ``ps``::
+
+    $ ps aux | grep mopidy
+    jodal     4313  2.0  1.7 2573592 69804 pts/14  Sl+  00:15   0:02 python
+    mopidy
+    jodal     4700  0.0  0.0   9392   924 pts/10   S+   00:17   0:00 grep
+    mopidy
+    $
+
+In this example, Mopidy's PID is 4313. You can then use the ``kill`` command to
+send the ``SIGUSR1`` signal to the Mopidy proces::
+
+    $ kill -SIGUSR1 4313
+    $
+
+If you check the log, you should now find one log record with a full traceback
+for each of the currently alive threads in Mopidy.
 
 
 Writing documentation
diff --git a/mopidy/__main__.py b/mopidy/__main__.py
index 5c049daf..a7e914a9 100644
--- a/mopidy/__main__.py
+++ b/mopidy/__main__.py
@@ -45,13 +45,11 @@ logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.main')
 
 def main():
     signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, process.exit_handler)
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGUSR1, pykka.debug.log_thread_tracebacks)
 
     loop = gobject.MainLoop()
     options = parse_options()
 
-    if options.debug_thread or settings.DEBUG_THREAD:
-        signal.signal(signal.SIGUSR1, pykka.debug.log_thread_tracebacks)
-
     try:
         log.setup_logging(options.verbosity_level, options.save_debug_log)
         check_old_folders()
diff --git a/mopidy/settings.py b/mopidy/settings.py
index fd3dfd6f..c7c5bb4c 100644
--- a/mopidy/settings.py
+++ b/mopidy/settings.py
@@ -49,14 +49,6 @@ DEBUG_LOG_FORMAT = '%(levelname)-8s %(asctime)s' + \
 #:     DEBUG_LOG_FILENAME = u'mopidy.log'
 DEBUG_LOG_FILENAME = 'mopidy.log'
 
-#: If we should start a background thread that dumps thread's traceback when we
-#: get a SIGUSR1. Mainly a debug tool for figuring out deadlocks.
-#:
-#: Default::
-#:
-#:     DEBUG_THREAD = False
-DEBUG_THREAD = False
-
 #: Location of the Mopidy .desktop file.
 #:
 #: Used by :mod:`mopidy.frontends.mpris`.