diff --git a/changelog/19.0/19.0.0/summary.md b/changelog/19.0/19.0.0/summary.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..849992aa9d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/19.0/19.0.0/summary.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+## Summary
+
+### Table of Contents
+
+- **[Major Changes](#major-changes)**
+  - **[Deprecations and Deletions](#deprecations-and-deletions)**
+
+
+## <a id="major-changes"/>Major Changes
+
+### <a id="deprecations-and-deletions"/>Deprecations and Deletions
+
+- The `MYSQL_FLAVOR` environment variable is now removed from all Docker Images.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog/19.0/README.md b/changelog/19.0/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..aecff732ce1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/19.0/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+## v19.0
+* **[19.0.0](19.0.0)**
diff --git a/changelog/README.md b/changelog/README.md
index ffb8d698b28..66ed9543e5d 100644
--- a/changelog/README.md
+++ b/changelog/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ## Releases
+* [19.0](19.0)
 * [18.0](18.0)
 * [17.0](17.0)
 * [16.0](16.0)
diff --git a/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.mysql80 b/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.mysql80
index 059f01b8101..46dec046411 100644
--- a/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.mysql80
+++ b/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.mysql80
@@ -21,6 +21,5 @@ RUN for i in $(seq 1 10); do apt-key adv --no-tty --recv-keys --keyserver keyser
 # Bootstrap Vitess
 WORKDIR /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 USER vitess
 RUN ./bootstrap.sh
diff --git a/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.percona80 b/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.percona80
index 446ec554612..f4d9f1c0458 100644
--- a/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.percona80
+++ b/docker/bootstrap/Dockerfile.percona80
@@ -34,6 +34,5 @@ RUN for i in $(seq 1 10); do apt-key adv --no-tty --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.c
 # Bootstrap Vitess
 WORKDIR /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 USER vitess
 RUN ./bootstrap.sh
diff --git a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.mysql80 b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.mysql80
index f91031f5996..d8844dafb54 100644
--- a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.mysql80
+++ b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.mysql80
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ RUN mkdir -p /vt/vtdataroot && chown -R vitess:vitess /vt
 ENV VTROOT /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 ENV VTDATAROOT /vt/vtdataroot
 ENV PATH $VTROOT/bin:$PATH
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 
 # Copy artifacts from builder layer.
 COPY --from=builder --chown=vitess:vitess /vt/install /vt
diff --git a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.percona80 b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.percona80
index 5e45d1d2113..e3df7801b20 100644
--- a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.percona80
+++ b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.percona80
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ RUN mkdir -p /vt/vtdataroot && chown -R vitess:vitess /vt
 ENV VTROOT /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 ENV VTDATAROOT /vt/vtdataroot
 ENV PATH $VTROOT/bin:$PATH
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 
 # Copy artifacts from builder layer.
 COPY --from=builder --chown=vitess:vitess /vt/install /vt
diff --git a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.mysql80 b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.mysql80
index 33e71b1f0e7..36f7a004300 100644
--- a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.mysql80
+++ b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.mysql80
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ RUN mkdir -p /vt/vtdataroot && chown -R vitess:vitess /vt
 ENV VTROOT /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 ENV VTDATAROOT /vt/vtdataroot
 ENV PATH $VTROOT/bin:$PATH
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 
 # Copy artifacts from builder layer.
 COPY --from=builder --chown=vitess:vitess /vt/install /vt
diff --git a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.percona80 b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.percona80
index 8303fe54585..4dd41f473e0 100644
--- a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.percona80
+++ b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi7.percona80
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ RUN mkdir -p /vt/vtdataroot && chown -R vitess:vitess /vt
 ENV VTROOT /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 ENV VTDATAROOT /vt/vtdataroot
 ENV PATH $VTROOT/bin:$PATH
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 
 # Copy artifacts from builder layer.
 COPY --from=builder --chown=vitess:vitess /vt/install /vt
diff --git a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.arm64.mysql80 b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.arm64.mysql80
index fb8220c64fc..d0bd9b279bc 100644
--- a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.arm64.mysql80
+++ b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.arm64.mysql80
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ RUN mkdir -p /vt/vtdataroot && chown -R vitess:vitess /vt
 ENV VTROOT /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 ENV VTDATAROOT /vt/vtdataroot
 ENV PATH $VTROOT/bin:$PATH
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 
 # Copy artifacts from builder layer.
 COPY --from=builder --chown=vitess:vitess /vt/install /vt
diff --git a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.mysql80 b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.mysql80
index cf1799bfc5e..ec7202d3137 100644
--- a/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.mysql80
+++ b/docker/lite/Dockerfile.ubi8.mysql80
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ RUN mkdir -p /vt/vtdataroot && chown -R vitess:vitess /vt
 ENV VTROOT /vt/src/vitess.io/vitess
 ENV VTDATAROOT /vt/vtdataroot
 ENV PATH $VTROOT/bin:$PATH
-ENV MYSQL_FLAVOR MySQL80
 
 # Copy artifacts from builder layer.
 COPY --from=builder --chown=vitess:vitess /vt/install /vt
diff --git a/examples/demo/demo.go b/examples/demo/demo.go
index 54d7e8732ca..4656f89f34e 100644
--- a/examples/demo/demo.go
+++ b/examples/demo/demo.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func runCluster() {
 			VSchemaDDLAuthorizedUsers: "%",
 		},
 	}
-	env, err := vttest.NewLocalTestEnv("", 12345)
+	env, err := vttest.NewLocalTestEnv(12345)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Exitf("Error: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/go/cmd/vttestserver/cli/main.go b/go/cmd/vttestserver/cli/main.go
index f9a2f16cd87..ea92ae7dda0 100644
--- a/go/cmd/vttestserver/cli/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/vttestserver/cli/main.go
@@ -224,12 +224,12 @@ func New() (cmd *cobra.Command) {
 func newEnv() (env vttest.Environment, err error) {
 	if basePort != 0 {
 		if config.DataDir == "" {
-			env, err = vttest.NewLocalTestEnv("", basePort)
+			env, err = vttest.NewLocalTestEnv(basePort)
 			if err != nil {
 				return
 			}
 		} else {
-			env, err = vttest.NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory("", basePort, config.DataDir)
+			env, err = vttest.NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory(basePort, config.DataDir)
 			if err != nil {
 				return
 			}
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/streamtimeout/main_test.go b/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/streamtimeout/main_test.go
index e676616b294..68851bf901b 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/streamtimeout/main_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/streamtimeout/main_test.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 			Charset:   "utf8mb4_general_ci",
 		}
 
-		env, err := vttest.NewLocalTestEnv("", 0)
+		env, err := vttest.NewLocalTestEnv(0)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%v", err)
 			return 1
diff --git a/go/vt/vttest/environment.go b/go/vt/vttest/environment.go
index dac9d718827..7f3ea88437a 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttest/environment.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttest/environment.go
@@ -107,16 +107,8 @@ type LocalTestEnv struct {
 // flavor is given.
 const DefaultMySQLFlavor = "MySQL56"
 
-// GetMySQLOptions returns the default option set for the given MySQL
-// flavor. If flavor is not set, DefaultMySQLFlavor will
-// be used.
-// Returns the name of the MySQL flavor being used, the set of MySQL CNF
-// files specific to this flavor, and any errors.
-func GetMySQLOptions(flavor string) (string, []string, error) {
-	if flavor == "" {
-		flavor = DefaultMySQLFlavor
-	}
-
+// GetMySQLOptions returns the set of MySQL CNF files and any errors.
+func GetMySQLOptions() ([]string, error) {
 	mycnf := []string{}
 	mycnf = append(mycnf, "config/mycnf/test-suite.cnf")
 
@@ -124,7 +116,7 @@ func GetMySQLOptions(flavor string) (string, []string, error) {
 		mycnf[i] = path.Join(os.Getenv("VTROOT"), cnf)
 	}
 
-	return flavor, mycnf, nil
+	return mycnf, nil
 }
 
 // EnvVars implements EnvVars for LocalTestEnv
@@ -258,17 +250,17 @@ func randomPort() int {
 // - MySQLManager() will return a vttest.Mysqlctl instance, configured with the
 // given MySQL flavor. This will use the `mysqlctl` command to initialize and
 // teardown a single mysqld instance.
-func NewLocalTestEnv(flavor string, basePort int) (*LocalTestEnv, error) {
+func NewLocalTestEnv(basePort int) (*LocalTestEnv, error) {
 	directory, err := tmpdir(os.Getenv("VTDATAROOT"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory(flavor, basePort, directory)
+	return NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory(basePort, directory)
 }
 
 // NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory returns a new instance of the default test
 // environment with a directory explicitly specified.
-func NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory(flavor string, basePort int, directory string) (*LocalTestEnv, error) {
+func NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory(basePort int, directory string) (*LocalTestEnv, error) {
 	if _, err := os.Stat(path.Join(directory, "logs")); os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		err := os.Mkdir(path.Join(directory, "logs"), 0700)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -276,7 +268,7 @@ func NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory(flavor string, basePort int, directory string)
 		}
 	}
 
-	flavor, mycnf, err := GetMySQLOptions(flavor)
+	mycnf, err := GetMySQLOptions()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -291,14 +283,13 @@ func NewLocalTestEnvWithDirectory(flavor string, basePort int, directory string)
 		DefaultMyCnf: mycnf,
 		Env: []string{
 			fmt.Sprintf("VTDATAROOT=%s", directory),
-			fmt.Sprintf("MYSQL_FLAVOR=%s", flavor),
 			"VTTEST=endtoend",
 		},
 	}, nil
 }
 
 func defaultEnvFactory() (Environment, error) {
-	return NewLocalTestEnv("", 0)
+	return NewLocalTestEnv(0)
 }
 
 // NewDefaultEnv is an user-configurable callback that returns a new Environment