diff --git a/meta/classes-recipe/image-combined-dbg.bbclass b/meta/classes-recipe/image-combined-dbg.bbclass
deleted file mode 100644
index 729313739c1..00000000000
--- a/meta/classes-recipe/image-combined-dbg.bbclass
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-#
-# Copyright OpenEmbedded Contributors
-#
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
-#
-
-IMAGE_PREPROCESS_COMMAND:append = " combine_dbg_image"
-
-combine_dbg_image () {
-        if [ "${IMAGE_GEN_DEBUGFS}" = "1" -a -e ${IMAGE_ROOTFS}-dbg ]; then
-                # copy target files into -dbg rootfs, so it can be used for
-                # debug purposes directly
-                tar -C ${IMAGE_ROOTFS} -cf - . | tar -C ${IMAGE_ROOTFS}-dbg -xf -
-        fi
-}
diff --git a/meta/lib/oe/rootfs.py b/meta/lib/oe/rootfs.py
index 1a48ed10b3f..a1cc28a6dd0 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oe/rootfs.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oe/rootfs.py
@@ -111,40 +111,17 @@ class Rootfs(object, metaclass=ABCMeta):
         if gen_debugfs != '1':
            return
 
+        rootfs_orig = self.image_rootfs + '-orig'
+
         bb.note("  Renaming the original rootfs...")
         try:
-            shutil.rmtree(self.image_rootfs + '-orig')
+            shutil.rmtree(rootfs_orig)
         except:
             pass
-        bb.utils.rename(self.image_rootfs, self.image_rootfs + '-orig')
+        bb.utils.rename(self.image_rootfs, rootfs_orig)
 
         bb.note("  Creating debug rootfs...")
-        bb.utils.mkdirhier(self.image_rootfs)
-
-        bb.note("  Copying back package database...")
-        for path in package_paths:
-            bb.utils.mkdirhier(self.image_rootfs + os.path.dirname(path))
-            if os.path.isdir(self.image_rootfs + '-orig' + path):
-                shutil.copytree(self.image_rootfs + '-orig' + path, self.image_rootfs + path, symlinks=True)
-            elif os.path.isfile(self.image_rootfs + '-orig' + path):
-                shutil.copyfile(self.image_rootfs + '-orig' + path, self.image_rootfs + path)
-
-        # Copy files located in /usr/lib/debug or /usr/src/debug
-        for dir in ["/usr/lib/debug", "/usr/src/debug"]:
-            src = self.image_rootfs + '-orig' + dir
-            if os.path.exists(src):
-                dst = self.image_rootfs + dir
-                bb.utils.mkdirhier(os.path.dirname(dst))
-                shutil.copytree(src, dst)
-
-        # Copy files with suffix '.debug' or located in '.debug' dir.
-        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(self.image_rootfs + '-orig'):
-            relative_dir = root[len(self.image_rootfs + '-orig'):]
-            for f in files:
-                if f.endswith('.debug') or '/.debug' in relative_dir:
-                    bb.utils.mkdirhier(self.image_rootfs + relative_dir)
-                    shutil.copy(os.path.join(root, f),
-                                self.image_rootfs + relative_dir)
+        shutil.copytree(rootfs_orig, self.image_rootfs, symlinks=True)
 
         bb.note("  Install complementary '*-dbg' packages...")
         self.pm.install_complementary('*-dbg')
@@ -178,7 +155,7 @@ class Rootfs(object, metaclass=ABCMeta):
         bb.utils.rename(self.image_rootfs, self.image_rootfs + '-dbg')
 
         bb.note("  Restoring original rootfs...")
-        bb.utils.rename(self.image_rootfs + '-orig', self.image_rootfs)
+        bb.utils.rename(rootfs_orig, self.image_rootfs)
 
     def _exec_shell_cmd(self, cmd):
         try:
diff --git a/scripts/crosstap b/scripts/crosstap
index 5aa72f14d44..87dac33e064 100755
--- a/scripts/crosstap
+++ b/scripts/crosstap
@@ -170,18 +170,6 @@ class BitbakeEnv(object):
         return ret
 
 class ParamDiscovery(object):
-    SYMBOLS_CHECK_MESSAGE = """
-WARNING: image '%s' does not have dbg-pkgs IMAGE_FEATURES enabled and no
-"image-combined-dbg" in inherited classes is specified. As result the image
-does not have symbols for user-land processes DWARF based probes. Consider
-adding 'dbg-pkgs' to EXTRA_IMAGE_FEATURES or adding "image-combined-dbg" to
-USER_CLASSES. I.e add this line 'USER_CLASSES += "image-combined-dbg"' to
-local.conf file.
-
-Or you may use IMAGE_GEN_DEBUGFS="1" option, and then after build you need
-recombine/unpack image and image-dbg tarballs and pass resulting dir location
-with --sysroot option.
-"""
 
     def __init__(self, image):
         self.image = image
@@ -204,8 +192,6 @@ with --sysroot option.
 
         self.staging_dir_native = None
 
-        self.image_combined_dbg = False
-
     def discover(self):
         if self.image:
             benv_image = BitbakeEnv(self.image)
@@ -248,10 +234,6 @@ with --sysroot option.
         (self.staging_dir_native
         ) = benv_systemtap.get_vars(["STAGING_DIR_NATIVE"])
 
-        if self.inherit:
-            if "image-combined-dbg" in self.inherit.split():
-                self.image_combined_dbg = True
-
     def check(self, sysroot_option):
         ret = True
         if self.image_rootfs:
@@ -280,10 +262,6 @@ with --sysroot option.
                 if "dbg-pkgs" in image_features:
                     dbg_pkgs_found = True
 
-            if not dbg_pkgs_found \
-               and not self.image_combined_dbg:
-                print(ParamDiscovery.SYMBOLS_CHECK_MESSAGE % (self.image))
-
         if not ret:
             print("")
 
@@ -310,10 +288,7 @@ with --sysroot option.
         stap.stap = self.staging_dir_native + "/usr/bin/stap"
         if not stap.sysroot:
             if self.image_rootfs:
-                if self.image_combined_dbg:
-                    stap.sysroot = self.image_rootfs + "-dbg"
-                else:
-                    stap.sysroot = self.image_rootfs
+                stap.sysroot = self.image_rootfs + "-dbg"
         stap.runtime = self.staging_dir_native + "/usr/share/systemtap/runtime"
         stap.tapset = self.staging_dir_native + "/usr/share/systemtap/tapset"
         stap.arch = self.__map_systemtap_arch()
@@ -362,7 +337,6 @@ configuration is recommended:
 # enables symbol + target binaries rootfs-dbg in workspace
 IMAGE_GEN_DEBUGFS = "1"
 IMAGE_FSTYPES_DEBUGFS = "tar.bz2"
-USER_CLASSES += "image-combined-dbg"
 
 # enables kernel debug symbols
 KERNEL_EXTRA_FEATURES:append = " features/debug/debug-kernel.scc"