diff --git a/phpBB/adm/index.php b/phpBB/adm/index.php
index d27f56f28b..c648fdf100 100644
--- a/phpBB/adm/index.php
+++ b/phpBB/adm/index.php
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ if (!$auth->acl_get('a_'))
 define('IN_ADMIN', true);
 
 // Some oft used variables
-$safe_mode		= (@ini_get('safe_mode') == '1' || strtolower(@ini_get('safe_mode')) === 'on') ? true : false;
 $file_uploads	= (@ini_get('file_uploads') == '1' || strtolower(@ini_get('file_uploads')) === 'on') ? true : false;
 $module_id		= $request->variable('i', '');
 $mode			= $request->variable('mode', '');
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php b/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
index e6f328f102..9dd9d1fc30 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
@@ -605,12 +605,6 @@ function create_thumbnail($source, $destination, $mimetype)
 				imagecopyresampled($new_image, $image, 0, 0, 0, 0, $new_width, $new_height, $width, $height);
 			}
 
-			// If we are in safe mode create the destination file prior to using the gd functions to circumvent a PHP bug
-			if (@ini_get('safe_mode') || @strtolower(ini_get('safe_mode')) == 'on')
-			{
-				@touch($destination);
-			}
-
 			switch ($type['format'])
 			{
 				case IMG_GIF:
diff --git a/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php b/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php
index 76982be098..eaa9640014 100644
--- a/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php
+++ b/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ $lang = array_merge($lang, array(
 	'AUTH_PROVIDER_OAUTH_TITLE'					=> 'OAuth',
 	'AUTH_PROVIDER_OAUTH_SECRET'				=> 'Secret',
 
-	'APACHE_SETUP_BEFORE_USE'	=> 'You have to setup apache authentication before you switch phpBB to this authentication method. Keep in mind that the username you use for apache authentication has to be the same as your phpBB username. Apache authentication can only be used with mod_php (not with a CGI version) and safe_mode disabled.',
+	'APACHE_SETUP_BEFORE_USE'	=> 'You have to setup apache authentication before you switch phpBB to this authentication method. Keep in mind that the username you use for apache authentication has to be the same as your phpBB username. Apache authentication can only be used with mod_php (not with a CGI version).',
 
 	'LDAP'							=> 'LDAP',
 	'LDAP_DN'						=> 'LDAP base <var>dn</var>',
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/files/filespec.php b/phpBB/phpbb/files/filespec.php
index 6847bca4cb..1e6771a3a4 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/files/filespec.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/files/filespec.php
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ class filespec
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		$upload_mode = ($this->php_ini->getBool('open_basedir') || $this->php_ini->getBool('safe_mode')) ? 'move' : 'copy';
+		$upload_mode = ($this->php_ini->getBool('open_basedir')) ? 'move' : 'copy';
 		$upload_mode = ($this->local) ? 'local' : $upload_mode;
 		$this->destination_file = $this->destination_path . '/' . utf8_basename($this->realname);
 
diff --git a/tests/upload/filespec_test.php b/tests/upload/filespec_test.php
index 18b6deed1f..29f6a017b2 100644
--- a/tests/upload/filespec_test.php
+++ b/tests/upload/filespec_test.php
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ class phpbb_filespec_test extends phpbb_test_case
 	/**
 	 * @dataProvider data_move_file_copy
 	 */
-	public function test_move_file_copy($tmp_name, $move_success, $safe_mode_on, $expected_error)
+	public function test_move_file_copy($tmp_name, $move_success, $open_basedir_on, $expected_error)
 	{
 		// Initialise a blank filespec object for use with trivial methods
 		$upload_ary = array(
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ class phpbb_filespec_test extends phpbb_test_case
 		$php_ini->expects($this->any())
 			->method('getBool')
 			->with($this->anything())
-			->willReturn($safe_mode_on);
+			->willReturn($open_basedir_on);
 		$upload = new phpbb_mock_fileupload();
 		$upload->max_filesize = self::UPLOAD_MAX_FILESIZE;
 		$filespec = new \phpbb\files\filespec($this->filesystem, $this->language, $php_ini, new \FastImageSize\FastImagesize,  '', $this->mimetype_guesser);