diff --git a/java-benchmarks/mx.java-benchmarks/mx_java_benchmarks.py b/java-benchmarks/mx.java-benchmarks/mx_java_benchmarks.py
index e2ef50afe467..769e248b3de5 100644
--- a/java-benchmarks/mx.java-benchmarks/mx_java_benchmarks.py
+++ b/java-benchmarks/mx.java-benchmarks/mx_java_benchmarks.py
@@ -347,7 +347,6 @@ def extra_image_build_argument(self, benchmark, args):
                 '-H:+AllowFoldMethods',
                 '-H:-UseServiceLoaderFeature',
                 '-H:+AllowDeprecatedBuilderClassesOnImageClasspath', # needs to be removed once GR-41746 is fixed
-                '-H:+DisableSubstitutionReturnTypeCheck',  # remove once Quarkus fixed their substitutions (GR-48152)
         ]) + super(BaseQuarkusBenchmarkSuite, self).extra_image_build_argument(benchmark, args)
 
 
diff --git a/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/NativeImageOptions.java b/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/NativeImageOptions.java
index 56cd319598a5..10f0ee1798a3 100644
--- a/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/NativeImageOptions.java
+++ b/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/NativeImageOptions.java
@@ -150,9 +150,6 @@ protected void onValueUpdate(EconomicMap<OptionKey<?>, Object> values, Boolean o
     @Option(help = "Deprecated", type = User)//
     static final HostedOptionKey<Boolean> AllowIncompleteClasspath = new HostedOptionKey<>(false);
 
-    @Option(help = "Disable substitution return type checking", type = Debug, deprecated = true, stability = OptionStability.EXPERIMENTAL, deprecationMessage = "This option will be removed soon and the return type check will be mandatory.")//
-    public static final HostedOptionKey<Boolean> DisableSubstitutionReturnTypeCheck = new HostedOptionKey<>(false);
-
     @SuppressWarnings("all")
     private static boolean areAssertionsEnabled() {
         boolean assertsEnabled = false;
diff --git a/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/substitute/AnnotationSubstitutionProcessor.java b/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/substitute/AnnotationSubstitutionProcessor.java
index 8970ee6efc23..5d5e98b49f2d 100644
--- a/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/substitute/AnnotationSubstitutionProcessor.java
+++ b/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.hosted/src/com/oracle/svm/hosted/substitute/AnnotationSubstitutionProcessor.java
@@ -861,8 +861,7 @@ private ResolvedJavaMethod findOriginalMethod(Executable annotatedMethod, Class<
                 Method originalMethod = originalClass.getDeclaredMethod(originalName, originalParams);
 
                 guarantee(Modifier.isStatic(annotatedMethod.getModifiers()) == Modifier.isStatic(originalMethod.getModifiers()), "Static modifier mismatch: %s, %s", annotatedMethod, originalMethod);
-
-                guarantee(NativeImageOptions.DisableSubstitutionReturnTypeCheck.getValue() || getTargetClass(((Method) annotatedMethod).getReturnType()).equals(originalMethod.getReturnType()),
+                guarantee(getTargetClass(((Method) annotatedMethod).getReturnType()).equals(originalMethod.getReturnType()),
                                 "Return type mismatch:%n    %s%n    %s", annotatedMethod, originalMethod);
                 return metaAccess.lookupJavaMethod(originalMethod);