diff --git a/fdbbackup/backup.actor.cpp b/fdbbackup/backup.actor.cpp
index 91749522ef..b0fd57f84f 100644
--- a/fdbbackup/backup.actor.cpp
+++ b/fdbbackup/backup.actor.cpp
@@ -3632,9 +3632,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 			args = NULL;
 		}
 
-		createGlobalFlowKnobs();
-		createGlobalClientKnobs();
-
 		for(auto k=knobs.begin(); k!=knobs.end(); ++k) {
 			try {
 				if (!globalFlowKnobs->setKnob(k->first, k->second) &&
diff --git a/fdbcli/fdbcli.actor.cpp b/fdbcli/fdbcli.actor.cpp
index 041a89a5e9..1a79796e32 100644
--- a/fdbcli/fdbcli.actor.cpp
+++ b/fdbcli/fdbcli.actor.cpp
@@ -2833,9 +2833,6 @@ struct CLIOptions {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		createGlobalFlowKnobs();
-		createGlobalClientKnobs();
-
 		for(auto k=knobs.begin(); k!=knobs.end(); ++k) {
 			try {
 				if (!globalFlowKnobs->setKnob(k->first, k->second) &&
diff --git a/fdbclient/Knobs.cpp b/fdbclient/Knobs.cpp
index 3996fc6f7b..c99d8e84ef 100644
--- a/fdbclient/Knobs.cpp
+++ b/fdbclient/Knobs.cpp
@@ -246,11 +246,6 @@ void ClientKnobs::initialize(bool randomize) {
 	// clang-format on
 }
 
-void createGlobalClientKnobs() {
-	globalClientKnobs = std::make_unique<ClientKnobs>();
-	CLIENT_KNOBS = globalClientKnobs.get();
-}
-
 TEST_CASE("/fdbclient/knobs/initialize") {
 	// This test depends on TASKBUCKET_TIMEOUT_VERSIONS being defined as a constant multiple of CORE_VERSIONSPERSECOND
 	ClientKnobs clientKnobs;
diff --git a/fdbclient/Knobs.h b/fdbclient/Knobs.h
index cdf55c3d16..9aa8872bad 100644
--- a/fdbclient/Knobs.h
+++ b/fdbclient/Knobs.h
@@ -234,6 +234,4 @@ public:
 extern std::unique_ptr<ClientKnobs> globalClientKnobs;
 extern ClientKnobs const* CLIENT_KNOBS;
 
-void createGlobalClientKnobs();
-
 #endif
diff --git a/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp b/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp
index a0e51bb3c9..cc498eab40 100644
--- a/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp
+++ b/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 #include "fdbrpc/Locality.h"
 #include <cmath>
 
-std::unique_ptr<ServerKnobs> globalServerKnobs{};
-ServerKnobs const* SERVER_KNOBS = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr<ServerKnobs> globalServerKnobs = std::make_unique<ServerKnobs>();
+ServerKnobs const* SERVER_KNOBS = globalServerKnobs.get();
 
 #define init( knob, value ) initKnob( knob, value, #knob )
 
@@ -697,8 +697,3 @@ void ServerKnobs::initialize(bool randomize, ClientKnobs* clientKnobs, bool isSi
 		clientKnobs->INIT_MID_SHARD_BYTES = MIN_SHARD_BYTES;
 	}
 }
-
-void createGlobalServerKnobs() {
-	globalServerKnobs = std::make_unique<ServerKnobs>();
-	SERVER_KNOBS = globalServerKnobs.get();
-}
diff --git a/fdbserver/Knobs.h b/fdbserver/Knobs.h
index 6a641fbb04..e44e62e0d2 100644
--- a/fdbserver/Knobs.h
+++ b/fdbserver/Knobs.h
@@ -627,6 +627,4 @@ public:
 extern std::unique_ptr<ServerKnobs> globalServerKnobs;
 extern ServerKnobs const* SERVER_KNOBS;
 
-void createGlobalServerKnobs();
-
 #endif
diff --git a/fdbserver/fdbserver.actor.cpp b/fdbserver/fdbserver.actor.cpp
index 12db47f977..fecc62e511 100644
--- a/fdbserver/fdbserver.actor.cpp
+++ b/fdbserver/fdbserver.actor.cpp
@@ -1561,10 +1561,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 
 		enableBuggify(opts.buggifyEnabled, BuggifyType::General);
 
-		createGlobalFlowKnobs();
-		createGlobalClientKnobs();
-		createGlobalServerKnobs();
-
 		if (!globalServerKnobs->setKnob("log_directory", opts.logFolder)) ASSERT(false);
 		if (role != Simulation) {
 			if (!globalServerKnobs->setKnob("commit_batches_mem_bytes_hard_limit", std::to_string(opts.memLimit)))
diff --git a/flow/Knobs.cpp b/flow/Knobs.cpp
index 91c1d817f9..33e0222366 100644
--- a/flow/Knobs.cpp
+++ b/flow/Knobs.cpp
@@ -346,8 +346,3 @@ void Knobs::trace() const {
 	for(auto &k : bool_knobs)
 		TraceEvent("Knob").detail("Name", k.first.c_str()).detail("Value", *k.second);
 }
-
-void createGlobalFlowKnobs() {
-	globalFlowKnobs = std::make_unique<FlowKnobs>();
-	FLOW_KNOBS = globalFlowKnobs.get();
-}
diff --git a/flow/Knobs.h b/flow/Knobs.h
index ba843d4c19..d6524d72f0 100644
--- a/flow/Knobs.h
+++ b/flow/Knobs.h
@@ -256,6 +256,4 @@ public:
 extern std::unique_ptr<FlowKnobs> globalFlowKnobs;
 extern FlowKnobs const* FLOW_KNOBS;
 
-void createGlobalFlowKnobs();
-
 #endif