diff --git a/lightningd/bitcoind.c b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
index 6d6fde4d6..47c905e65 100644
--- a/lightningd/bitcoind.c
+++ b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-/* Code for talking to bitcoind.  We use bitcoin-cli. */
+/* Code for talking to bitcoind.  We use a plugin as the Bitcoin backend.
+ * The default one shipped with C-lightning is a plugin which talks to bitcoind
+ * by using bitcoin-cli, but the interface we use to gather Bitcoin data is
+ * standardized and you can use another plugin as the Bitcoin backend, or
+ * even make your own! */
 #include "bitcoin/base58.h"
 #include "bitcoin/block.h"
 #include "bitcoin/feerate.h"
@@ -739,8 +743,6 @@ void bitcoind_getfilteredblock_(struct bitcoind *bitcoind, u32 height,
 static void destroy_bitcoind(struct bitcoind *bitcoind)
 {
 	strmap_clear(&bitcoind->pluginsmap);
-	/* Suppresses the callbacks from bcli_finished as we free conns. */
-	bitcoind->shutdown = true;
 }
 
 struct bitcoind *new_bitcoind(const tal_t *ctx,
@@ -750,22 +752,9 @@ struct bitcoind *new_bitcoind(const tal_t *ctx,
 	struct bitcoind *bitcoind = tal(ctx, struct bitcoind);
 
 	strmap_init(&bitcoind->pluginsmap);
-	bitcoind->cli = NULL;
-	bitcoind->datadir = NULL;
 	bitcoind->ld = ld;
 	bitcoind->log = log;
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < BITCOIND_NUM_PRIO; i++) {
-		bitcoind->num_requests[i] = 0;
-		list_head_init(&bitcoind->pending[i]);
-	}
 	list_head_init(&bitcoind->pending_getfilteredblock);
-	bitcoind->shutdown = false;
-	bitcoind->error_count = 0;
-	bitcoind->retry_timeout = 60;
-	bitcoind->rpcuser = NULL;
-	bitcoind->rpcpass = NULL;
-	bitcoind->rpcconnect = NULL;
-	bitcoind->rpcport = NULL;
 	tal_add_destructor(bitcoind, destroy_bitcoind);
 	bitcoind->synced = false;
 
diff --git a/lightningd/bitcoind.h b/lightningd/bitcoind.h
index 97f6f7bb2..0afbbe110 100644
--- a/lightningd/bitcoind.h
+++ b/lightningd/bitcoind.h
@@ -19,48 +19,19 @@ struct ripemd160;
 struct bitcoin_tx;
 struct bitcoin_block;
 
-enum bitcoind_prio {
-	BITCOIND_LOW_PRIO,
-	BITCOIND_HIGH_PRIO
-};
-#define BITCOIND_NUM_PRIO (BITCOIND_HIGH_PRIO+1)
-
 struct bitcoind {
-	/* eg. "bitcoin-cli" */
-	char *cli;
-
-	/* -datadir arg for bitcoin-cli. */
-	char *datadir;
-
 	/* Where to do logging. */
 	struct log *log;
 
 	/* Main lightningd structure */
 	struct lightningd *ld;
 
-	/* Is bitcoind synced?  If not, we retry. */
+	/* Is our Bitcoin backend synced?  If not, we retry. */
 	bool synced;
 
-	/* How many high/low prio requests are we running (it's ratelimited) */
-	size_t num_requests[BITCOIND_NUM_PRIO];
-
-	/* Pending requests (high and low prio). */
-	struct list_head pending[BITCOIND_NUM_PRIO];
-
-	/* If non-zero, time we first hit a bitcoind error. */
-	unsigned int error_count;
-	struct timemono first_error_time;
-
 	/* Ignore results, we're shutting down. */
 	bool shutdown;
 
-	/* How long to keep trying to contact bitcoind
-	 * before fatally exiting. */
-	u64 retry_timeout;
-
-	/* Passthrough parameters for bitcoin-cli */
-	char *rpcuser, *rpcpass, *rpcconnect, *rpcport;
-
 	struct list_head pending_getfilteredblock;
 
 	/* Map each method to a plugin, so we can have multiple plugins
diff --git a/lightningd/options.c b/lightningd/options.c
index e81256a81..d76b30f6f 100644
--- a/lightningd/options.c
+++ b/lightningd/options.c
@@ -789,35 +789,11 @@ static void register_opts(struct lightningd *ld)
 
 	opt_register_noarg("--help|-h", opt_lightningd_usage, ld,
 				 "Print this message.");
-	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-datadir", opt_set_talstr, NULL,
-			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->datadir,
-			 "-datadir arg for bitcoin-cli");
 	opt_register_arg("--rgb", opt_set_rgb, NULL, ld,
 			 "RRGGBB hex color for node");
 	opt_register_arg("--alias", opt_set_alias, NULL, ld,
 			 "Up to 32-byte alias for node");
 
-	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-cli", opt_set_talstr, NULL,
-			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->cli,
-			 "bitcoin-cli pathname");
-	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-rpcuser", opt_set_talstr, NULL,
-			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->rpcuser,
-			 "bitcoind RPC username");
-	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-rpcpassword", opt_set_talstr, NULL,
-			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->rpcpass,
-			 "bitcoind RPC password");
-	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-rpcconnect", opt_set_talstr, NULL,
-			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->rpcconnect,
-			 "bitcoind RPC host to connect to");
-	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-rpcport", opt_set_talstr, NULL,
-			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->rpcport,
-			 "bitcoind RPC port");
-	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-retry-timeout",
-			 opt_set_u64, opt_show_u64,
-			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->retry_timeout,
-			 "how long to keep trying to contact bitcoind "
-			 "before fatally exiting");
-
 	opt_register_arg("--pid-file=<file>", opt_set_talstr, opt_show_charp,
 			 &ld->pidfile,
 			 "Specify pid file");