diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs
index ca587007557..8e3912288bf 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ use crate::Config;
 
 const DEFAULT_EDITION: crate::core::features::Edition =
     crate::core::features::Edition::LATEST_STABLE;
-const DEFAULT_PUBLISH: bool = false;
 const AUTO_FIELDS: &[&str] = &["autobins", "autoexamples", "autotests", "autobenches"];
 
 pub fn expand_manifest(
@@ -132,9 +131,6 @@ fn expand_manifest_(
     package
         .entry("build".to_owned())
         .or_insert_with(|| toml::Value::Boolean(false));
-    package
-        .entry("publish".to_owned())
-        .or_insert_with(|| toml::Value::Boolean(DEFAULT_PUBLISH));
     for field in AUTO_FIELDS {
         package
             .entry(field.to_owned())
@@ -617,7 +613,6 @@ autotests = false
 build = false
 edition = "2021"
 name = "test-"
-publish = false
 
 [profile.release]
 strip = true
@@ -646,7 +641,6 @@ autotests = false
 build = false
 edition = "2021"
 name = "test-"
-publish = false
 
 [profile.release]
 strip = true
diff --git a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
index f73ffe230d5..12a56d72298 100644
--- a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
+++ b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
@@ -1221,8 +1221,6 @@ at the start of the infostring at the top of the file.
 
 Inferred / defaulted manifest fields:
 - `package.name = <slugified file stem>`
-- `package.publish = false` to avoid accidental publishes, particularly if we
-  later add support for including them in a workspace.
 - `package.edition = <current>` to avoid always having to add an embedded
   manifest at the cost of potentially breaking scripts on rust upgrades
   - Warn when `edition` is unspecified to raise awareness of this