diff --git a/drivers/dstate.c b/drivers/dstate.c
index 46a3bfb80e..2b36688291 100644
--- a/drivers/dstate.c
+++ b/drivers/dstate.c
@@ -847,26 +847,15 @@ static int sock_arg(conn_t *conn, size_t numarg, char **arg)
 		if (upsh.instcmd) {
 			ret = upsh.instcmd(cmdname, cmdparam);
 
-			if (ret != STAT_INSTCMD_UNKNOWN) {
-				/* send back execution result if requested */
-				if (cmdid)
-					send_tracking(conn, cmdid, ret);
-
-				/* The command was handled, status is a separate consideration */
-				return 1;
-			} /* else try other handler(s) */
-		} /* else try other handler(s) */
+			/* send back execution result if requested */
+			if (cmdid)
+				send_tracking(conn, cmdid, ret);
 
-		/* Finally try the fallback handler shared by all drivers */
-		ret = main_instcmd_fallback(cmdname, cmdparam, conn);
-		/* send back execution result if requested */
-		if (cmdid)
-			send_tracking(conn, cmdid, ret);
+			/* The command was handled, status is a separate consideration */
+			return 1;
+		}
 
-		if (ret == STAT_INSTCMD_UNKNOWN)
-			upslogx(LOG_NOTICE,
-				"Got INSTCMD '%s', but driver lacks a handler",
-				NUT_STRARG(cmdname));
+		upslogx(LOG_NOTICE, "Got INSTCMD, but driver lacks a handler");
 		return 1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/main.c b/drivers/main.c
index 0d854d810f..bc2eda3691 100644
--- a/drivers/main.c
+++ b/drivers/main.c
@@ -947,9 +947,8 @@ int upsdrv_shutdown_sdcommands_or_default(const char *sdcmds_default, char **cmd
 	return sdret;
 }
 
-/* handle instant commands common for all drivers - fallback for common
- * command names that could be implemented in a driver but were not */
-int main_instcmd_fallback(const char *cmdname, const char *extra, conn_t *conn) {
+/* handle instant commands common for all drivers */
+int main_instcmd(const char *cmdname, const char *extra, conn_t *conn) {
 	char buf[SMALLBUF];
 	if (conn)
 #ifndef WIN32
@@ -981,29 +980,6 @@ int main_instcmd_fallback(const char *cmdname, const char *extra, conn_t *conn)
 		return STAT_INSTCMD_HANDLED;
 	}
 
-	/* By default, the driver-specific values are
-	 * unknown to shared standard handler */
-	upsdebugx(2, "shared %s() does not handle command %s, "
-		"proceeding to driver-specific handler",
-		__func__, cmdname);
-	return STAT_INSTCMD_UNKNOWN;
-}
-
-/* handle instant commands common for all drivers */
-int main_instcmd(const char *cmdname, const char *extra, conn_t *conn) {
-	char buf[SMALLBUF];
-	if (conn)
-#ifndef WIN32
-		snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "socket %d", conn->fd);
-#else
-		snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "handle %p", conn->fd);
-#endif
-	else
-		snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "(null)");
-
-	upsdebugx(2, "entering main_instcmd(%s, %s) for [%s] on %s",
-		cmdname, extra, NUT_STRARG(upsname), buf);
-
 	if (!strcmp(cmdname, "driver.killpower")) {
 		/* An implementation of `drivername -k` requested from
 		 * the running and connected driver instance by protocol
diff --git a/drivers/main.h b/drivers/main.h
index 249a2b1202..864eb11b7a 100644
--- a/drivers/main.h
+++ b/drivers/main.h
@@ -63,10 +63,6 @@ int upsdrv_shutdown_sdcommands_or_default(const char *sdcmds_default, char **cmd
  */
 int main_instcmd(const char *cmdname, const char *extra, conn_t *conn);
 
-/* handle instant commands common for all drivers - fallback for common
- * command names that could be implemented in a driver but were not */
-int main_instcmd_fallback(const char *cmdname, const char *extra, conn_t *conn);
-
 /* handle setting variables common for all drivers
  * (returns STAT_SET_* state values per enum in upshandler.h)
  */
diff --git a/drivers/skel.c b/drivers/skel.c
index 595e4dc0d1..3cb620ab1c 100644
--- a/drivers/skel.c
+++ b/drivers/skel.c
@@ -127,11 +127,6 @@ void upsdrv_shutdown(void)
 /*
 static int instcmd(const char *cmdname, const char *extra)
 {
-	if (!strcasecmp(cmdname, "shutdown.default")) {
-		// optional custom implementation - but we
-		// prefer to code upsdrv_shutdown() directly
-	}
-
 	if (!strcasecmp(cmdname, "test.battery.stop")) {
 		ser_send_buf(upsfd, ...);
 		return STAT_INSTCMD_HANDLED;