diff --git a/doc/manual.md b/doc/manual.md
index c63699190..cd7278c45 100644
--- a/doc/manual.md
+++ b/doc/manual.md
@@ -1017,7 +1017,6 @@ A query term can be any of the following:
 - `depth:N` - match (or display, depending on command) accounts at or above this [depth](#depth-limiting)
 - `status:*` or `status:!` or `status:` - match cleared, pending, or uncleared/pending transactions respectively
 - `real:1` or `real:0` - match real/virtual-ness
-- `empty:1` or `empty:0` - match if amount is/is not zero
 - `amt:N`, `amt:<N`, `amt:<=N`, `amt:>N`, `amt:>=N` - match postings with a single-commodity
   amount that is equal to, less than, or greater than N.
   (Multi-commodity amounts are not tested, and will always match.)
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
index da382a21a..f545ee759 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ module Hledger.Query (
   queryDateSpan,
   queryDateSpan',
   queryDepth,
-  queryEmpty,
   inAccount,
   inAccountQuery,
   -- * matching
@@ -541,23 +540,6 @@ queryDepth q = case queryDepth' q of [] -> 99999
     queryDepth' (And qs) = concatMap queryDepth' qs
     queryDepth' _ = []
 
--- | The empty (zero amount) status specified by this query, defaulting to false.
-queryEmpty :: Query -> Bool
-queryEmpty = headDef False . queryEmpty'
-  where
-    queryEmpty' (Empty v) = [v]
-    queryEmpty' (Or qs) = concatMap queryEmpty' qs
-    queryEmpty' (And qs) = concatMap queryEmpty' qs
-    queryEmpty' _ = []
-
--- -- | The "include empty" option specified by this query, defaulting to false.
--- emptyQueryOpt :: [QueryOpt] -> Bool
--- emptyQueryOpt = headDef False . emptyQueryOpt'
---   where
---     emptyQueryOpt' [] = False
---     emptyQueryOpt' (QueryOptEmpty v:_) = v
---     emptyQueryOpt' (_:vs) = emptyQueryOpt' vs
-
 -- | The account we are currently focussed on, if any, and whether subaccounts are included.
 -- Just looks at the first query option.
 inAccount :: [QueryOpt] -> Maybe (AccountName,Bool)
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs
index 9428e5a09..d4c2d31a2 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ postingsReport opts q j = (totallabel, items)
                       journalPostings $ journalSelectingAmountFromOpts opts j
       (precedingps, reportps) = dbg1 "precedingps, reportps" $ span (beforestartq `matchesPosting`) pstoend
 
-      showempty = queryEmpty q || average_ opts
+      showempty = empty_ opts || average_ opts
       -- displayexpr = display_ opts  -- XXX
       interval = intervalFromOpts opts -- XXX
 
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ tests_postingsReport = [
    -- with query and/or command-line options
    assertEqual "" 11 (length $ snd $ postingsReport defreportopts Any samplejournal)
    assertEqual ""  9 (length $ snd $ postingsReport defreportopts{monthly_=True} Any samplejournal)
-   assertEqual "" 19 (length $ snd $ postingsReport defreportopts{monthly_=True} (Empty True) samplejournal)
+   assertEqual "" 19 (length $ snd $ postingsReport defreportopts{monthly_=True, empty_=True} Any samplejournal)
    assertEqual ""  4 (length $ snd $ postingsReport defreportopts (Acct "assets:bank:checking") samplejournal)
 
    -- (defreportopts, And [Acct "a a", Acct "'b"], samplejournal2) `gives` 0