diff --git a/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/KonanConfig.kt b/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/KonanConfig.kt
index 7681f72931a..770cb85e8b7 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/KonanConfig.kt
+++ b/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/KonanConfig.kt
@@ -119,7 +119,9 @@ class KonanConfig(val project: Project, val configuration: CompilerConfiguration
     }
     val workerExceptionHandling: WorkerExceptionHandling get() = configuration.get(KonanConfigKeys.WORKER_EXCEPTION_HANDLING)?.also {
         if (it != WorkerExceptionHandling.USE_HOOK) {
-            configuration.report(CompilerMessageSeverity.STRONG_WARNING, "Legacy exception handling in workers is deprecated")
+            configuration.report(CompilerMessageSeverity.ERROR, "Legacy exception handling in workers is deprecated")
+        } else {
+            configuration.report(CompilerMessageSeverity.STRONG_WARNING, "-Xworker-exception-handling is deprecated")
         }
     } ?: WorkerExceptionHandling.USE_HOOK
 
diff --git a/kotlin-native/backend.native/tests/build.gradle b/kotlin-native/backend.native/tests/build.gradle
index b3dd77b0fdd..eee677af3f3 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/backend.native/tests/build.gradle
+++ b/kotlin-native/backend.native/tests/build.gradle
@@ -383,23 +383,14 @@ tasks.register("worker10", KonanLocalTest) {
 }
 
 standaloneTest("worker_exceptions") {
-    flags = ["-tr", "-Xworker-exception-handling=use-hook"]
+    flags = ["-tr"]
     outputChecker = {
         !it.contains("testExecuteAfterStartQuiet error") && it.contains("testExecuteStart error") && !it.contains("testExecuteStartQuiet error")
     }
     source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions.kt"
 }
 
-standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_legacy") {
-    flags = ["-tr", "-Xworker-exception-handling=legacy"]
-    outputChecker = {
-        it.contains("testExecuteAfterStartLegacy error") && it.contains("testExecuteStartLegacy error")
-    }
-    source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_legacy.kt"
-}
-
 standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=use-hook"]
     expectedExitStatusChecker = { it != 0 }
     outputChecker = {
         it.contains("some error") && !it.contains("Will not happen")
@@ -407,32 +398,14 @@ standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate") {
     source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate.kt"
 }
 
-standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_legacy") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=legacy"]
-    outputChecker = {
-        it.contains("some error") && it.contains("Will not happen")
-    }
-    source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate.kt"
-}
-
 standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_hook") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=use-hook"]
     outputChecker = {
         it.contains("hook called") && !it.contains("some error") && it.contains("Will happen")
     }
     source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate_hook.kt"
 }
 
-standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_hook_legacy") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=legacy"]
-    outputChecker = {
-        !it.contains("hook called") && it.contains("some error") && it.contains("Will happen")
-    }
-    source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate_hook.kt"
-}
-
 standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_current") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=use-hook"]
     expectedExitStatusChecker = { it != 0 }
     outputChecker = {
         it.contains("some error") && !it.contains("Will not happen")
@@ -440,30 +413,13 @@ standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_current") {
     source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate_current.kt"
 }
 
-standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_current_legacy") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=legacy"]
-    outputChecker = {
-        it.contains("some error") && it.contains("Will not happen")
-    }
-    source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate_current.kt"
-}
-
 standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_hook_current") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=use-hook"]
     outputChecker = {
         it.contains("hook called") && !it.contains("some error") && it.contains("Will happen")
     }
     source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate_hook_current.kt"
 }
 
-standaloneTest("worker_exceptions_terminate_hook_current_legacy") {
-    flags = ["-Xworker-exception-handling=legacy"]
-    outputChecker = {
-        !it.contains("hook called") && it.contains("some error") && it.contains("Will happen")
-    }
-    source = "runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_terminate_hook_current.kt"
-}
-
 standaloneTest("worker_threadlocal_no_leak") {
     source = "runtime/workers/worker_threadlocal_no_leak.kt"
 }
diff --git a/kotlin-native/backend.native/tests/runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_legacy.kt b/kotlin-native/backend.native/tests/runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_legacy.kt
deleted file mode 100644
index 72cb38a8dca..00000000000
--- a/kotlin-native/backend.native/tests/runtime/workers/worker_exceptions_legacy.kt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-@file:OptIn(FreezingIsDeprecated::class, ObsoleteWorkersApi::class)
-
-package runtime.workers.worker_exceptions_legacy
-
-import kotlin.test.*
-
-import kotlin.native.concurrent.*
-
-@Test
-fun testExecuteAfterStartLegacy() {
-    val worker = Worker.start()
-    worker.executeAfter(0L, {
-        throw Error("testExecuteAfterStartLegacy error")
-    }.freeze())
-    worker.requestTermination().result
-}
-
-@Test
-fun testExecuteStartLegacy() {
-    val worker = Worker.start()
-    val future = worker.execute(TransferMode.SAFE, {}) {
-        throw Error("testExecuteStartLegacy error")
-    }
-    assertFailsWith<Throwable> {
-        future.result
-    }
-    worker.requestTermination().result
-}
diff --git a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/concurrent/Worker.kt b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/concurrent/Worker.kt
index b5e0904e611..b059100d182 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/concurrent/Worker.kt
+++ b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/concurrent/Worker.kt
@@ -128,12 +128,9 @@ public value class Worker @PublishedApi internal constructor(public val id: Int)
     /**
      * Plan job for further execution in the worker.
      *
-     * With -Xworker-exception-handling=use-hook, if the worker was created with `errorReporting` set to true, any exception escaping from [operation] will
+     * If the worker was created with `errorReporting` set to true, any exception escaping from [operation] will
      * be handled by [processUnhandledException].
      *
-     * Legacy MM: [operation] parameter must be either frozen, or execution to be planned on the current worker.
-     * Otherwise [IllegalStateException] will be thrown.
-     *
      * @param afterMicroseconds defines after how many microseconds delay execution shall happen, 0 means immediately,
      * @throws [IllegalArgumentException] on negative values of [afterMicroseconds].
      * @throws [IllegalStateException] if [operation] parameter is not frozen and worker is not current.