diff --git a/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts
index 140875b9b1..ca0c11132a 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ test.describe("Soft logout", () => {
 
             // back to the welcome page
             await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/#\/home/);
-            await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Welcome Alice", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+            await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: `Welcome ${user.userId}`, exact: true })).toBeVisible();
         });
 
         test("still shows the soft-logout page when the page is reloaded after a soft-logout", async ({
diff --git a/src/Lifecycle.ts b/src/Lifecycle.ts
index 682d11aba5..39d93dec11 100644
--- a/src/Lifecycle.ts
+++ b/src/Lifecycle.ts
@@ -664,43 +664,6 @@ export async function setLoggedIn(credentials: IMatrixClientCreds): Promise<Matr
     return doSetLoggedIn(Object.assign({}, credentials, { pickleKey }), true, true);
 }
 
-/**
- * Hydrates an existing session by using the credentials provided. This will
- * not clear any local storage, unlike setLoggedIn().
- *
- * Stops the existing Matrix client (without clearing its data) and starts a
- * new one in its place. This additionally starts all other react-sdk services
- * which use the new Matrix client.
- *
- * If the credentials belong to a different user from the session already stored,
- * the old session will be cleared automatically.
- *
- * @param {IMatrixClientCreds} credentials The credentials to use
- *
- * @returns {Promise} promise which resolves to the new MatrixClient once it has been started
- */
-export async function hydrateSession(credentials: IMatrixClientCreds): Promise<MatrixClient> {
-    const oldUserId = MatrixClientPeg.safeGet().getUserId();
-    const oldDeviceId = MatrixClientPeg.safeGet().getDeviceId();
-
-    stopMatrixClient(); // unsets MatrixClientPeg.get()
-    localStorage.removeItem("mx_soft_logout");
-    _isLoggingOut = false;
-
-    const overwrite = credentials.userId !== oldUserId || credentials.deviceId !== oldDeviceId;
-    if (overwrite) {
-        logger.warn("Clearing all data: Old session belongs to a different user/session");
-    }
-
-    if (!credentials.pickleKey && credentials.deviceId !== undefined) {
-        logger.info("Lifecycle#hydrateSession: Pickle key not provided - trying to get one");
-        credentials.pickleKey =
-            (await PlatformPeg.get()?.getPickleKey(credentials.userId, credentials.deviceId)) ?? undefined;
-    }
-
-    return doSetLoggedIn(credentials, overwrite, false);
-}
-
 /**
  * When we have a authenticated via OIDC-native flow and have a refresh token
  * try to create a token refresher.
@@ -799,18 +762,6 @@ async function doSetLoggedIn(
         PosthogAnalytics.instance.startListeningToSettingsChanges(client);
     }
 
-    if (credentials.freshLogin && SettingsStore.getValue("feature_dehydration")) {
-        // If we just logged in, try to rehydrate a device instead of using a
-        // new device.  If it succeeds, we'll get a new device ID, so make sure
-        // we persist that ID to localStorage
-        const newDeviceId = await client.rehydrateDevice();
-        if (newDeviceId) {
-            credentials.deviceId = newDeviceId;
-        }
-
-        delete credentials.freshLogin;
-    }
-
     if (localStorage) {
         try {
             await persistCredentials(credentials);
diff --git a/src/SecurityManager.ts b/src/SecurityManager.ts
index a89427e5f3..2d103cf25e 100644
--- a/src/SecurityManager.ts
+++ b/src/SecurityManager.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import { MatrixClientPeg } from "./MatrixClientPeg";
 import { _t } from "./languageHandler";
 import { isSecureBackupRequired } from "./utils/WellKnownUtils";
 import AccessSecretStorageDialog, { KeyParams } from "./components/views/dialogs/security/AccessSecretStorageDialog";
-import SettingsStore from "./settings/SettingsStore";
 import { ModuleRunner } from "./modules/ModuleRunner";
 import QuestionDialog from "./components/views/dialogs/QuestionDialog";
 import InteractiveAuthDialog from "./components/views/dialogs/InteractiveAuthDialog";
@@ -276,20 +275,6 @@ async function doAccessSecretStorage(func: () => Promise<void>, forceReset: bool
             });
             logger.debug("accessSecretStorage: bootstrapSecretStorage");
             await crypto.bootstrapSecretStorage({});
-
-            const keyId = Object.keys(secretStorageKeys)[0];
-            if (keyId && SettingsStore.getValue("feature_dehydration")) {
-                let dehydrationKeyInfo = {};
-                if (secretStorageKeyInfo[keyId] && secretStorageKeyInfo[keyId].passphrase) {
-                    dehydrationKeyInfo = { passphrase: secretStorageKeyInfo[keyId].passphrase };
-                }
-                logger.log("accessSecretStorage: Setting dehydration key");
-                await cli.setDehydrationKey(secretStorageKeys[keyId], dehydrationKeyInfo, "Backup device");
-            } else if (!keyId) {
-                logger.warn("accessSecretStorage: Not setting dehydration key: no SSSS key found");
-            } else {
-                logger.log("accessSecretStorage: Not setting dehydration key: feature disabled");
-            }
         }
 
         logger.debug("accessSecretStorage: 4S now ready");
diff --git a/src/components/structures/auth/SoftLogout.tsx b/src/components/structures/auth/SoftLogout.tsx
index 4c02f818a7..117485df7e 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/auth/SoftLogout.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/auth/SoftLogout.tsx
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ export default class SoftLogout extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
             return;
         }
 
-        Lifecycle.hydrateSession(credentials).catch((e) => {
+        Lifecycle.setLoggedIn(credentials).catch((e) => {
             logger.error(e);
             this.setState({ busy: false, errorText: _t("auth|failed_soft_logout_auth") });
         });
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ export default class SoftLogout extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
             return false;
         }
 
-        return Lifecycle.hydrateSession(credentials)
+        return Lifecycle.setLoggedIn(credentials)
             .then(() => {
                 if (this.props.onTokenLoginCompleted) {
                     this.props.onTokenLoginCompleted();
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 74265c1939..4e2a0c01d5 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -1410,7 +1410,6 @@
         "click_for_info": "Click for more info",
         "currently_experimental": "Currently experimental.",
         "custom_themes": "Support adding custom themes",
-        "dehydration": "Offline encrypted messaging using dehydrated devices",
         "dynamic_room_predecessors": "Dynamic room predecessors",
         "dynamic_room_predecessors_description": "Enable MSC3946 (to support late-arriving room archives)",
         "element_call_video_rooms": "Element Call video rooms",
diff --git a/src/settings/Settings.tsx b/src/settings/Settings.tsx
index 834a735d8d..4f788ee224 100644
--- a/src/settings/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/settings/Settings.tsx
@@ -303,14 +303,6 @@ export const SETTINGS: { [setting: string]: ISetting } = {
         supportedLevelsAreOrdered: true,
         default: false,
     },
-    "feature_dehydration": {
-        isFeature: true,
-        labsGroup: LabGroup.Encryption,
-        displayName: _td("labs|dehydration"),
-        supportedLevels: LEVELS_DEVICE_ONLY_SETTINGS_WITH_CONFIG_PRIORITISED,
-        supportedLevelsAreOrdered: true,
-        default: false,
-    },
     "feature_exclude_insecure_devices": {
         isFeature: true,
         labsGroup: LabGroup.Encryption,