diff --git a/doc/source/dev/run_tests_help.txt b/doc/source/dev/run_tests_help.txt
index 2b6f28c4704..4e002913339 100644
--- a/doc/source/dev/run_tests_help.txt
+++ b/doc/source/dev/run_tests_help.txt
@@ -233,9 +233,6 @@ GALAXY_TEST_TOOL_PATH           Path defaulting to 'tools'.
 GALAXY_TEST_SHED_TOOL_CONF      Shed toolbox conf (defaults to
                                 config/shed_tool_conf.xml) used when testing
                                 installed to tools with -installed.
-GALAXY_TEST_HISTORY_ID          Some tests can target existing history ids, this option
-                                is fairly limited and not compatible with parrallel testing
-                                so should be limited to debugging one off tests.
 TOOL_SHED_TEST_HOST             Host to use for shed server setup for testing.
 TOOL_SHED_TEST_PORT             Port to use for shed server setup for testing.
 TOOL_SHED_TEST_FILE_DIR         Defaults to lib/tool_shed/test/test_data.
diff --git a/lib/galaxy_test/base/populators.py b/lib/galaxy_test/base/populators.py
index 3c5658def40..7f2fdf2ee2b 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy_test/base/populators.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy_test/base/populators.py
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ class BaseDatasetPopulator(BasePopulator):
         """Abstract method for summarizing a target history - override to provide details."""
 
     @contextlib.contextmanager
-    def test_history(self, cancel_executions: bool = True, require_new: bool = True, **kwds):
+    def test_history(self, cancel_executions: bool = True, **kwds):
         cleanup = "GALAXY_TEST_NO_CLEANUP" not in os.environ
         history_id = None
 
@@ -738,10 +738,7 @@ class BaseDatasetPopulator(BasePopulator):
                 self.cancel_history_jobs(history_id)
 
         try:
-            if not require_new:
-                history_id = kwds.get("GALAXY_TEST_HISTORY_ID", None)
-
-            history_id = history_id or self.new_history()
+            history_id = self.new_history()
             yield history_id
             wrap_up()
         except Exception:
diff --git a/run_tests.sh b/run_tests.sh
index 3293160735b..30387db6ab4 100755
--- a/run_tests.sh
+++ b/run_tests.sh
@@ -239,9 +239,6 @@ GALAXY_TEST_TOOL_PATH           Path defaulting to 'tools'.
 GALAXY_TEST_SHED_TOOL_CONF      Shed toolbox conf (defaults to
                                 config/shed_tool_conf.xml) used when testing
                                 installed to tools with -installed.
-GALAXY_TEST_HISTORY_ID          Some tests can target existing history ids, this option
-                                is fairly limited and not compatible with parrallel testing
-                                so should be limited to debugging one off tests.
 TOOL_SHED_TEST_HOST             Host to use for shed server setup for testing.
 TOOL_SHED_TEST_PORT             Port to use for shed server setup for testing.
 TOOL_SHED_TEST_FILE_DIR         Defaults to lib/tool_shed/test/test_data.