diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.c b/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 2700109a586..00000000000
--- a/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-#include <stdio.h>
-
-char *copy;
-
-void copyArgv(char **argv) {
-	copy = argv[1];
-}
-
-void printWrapper(char *str) {
-	printf(str);
-}
-
-int main(int argc, char **argv) {
-	copyArgv(argv);
-
-	// This should be avoided
-	printf(copy);
-
-	// This should be avoided too, because it has the same effect
-	printWrapper(copy);
-
-	// This is fine
-	printf("%s", copy);
-}
diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.qhelp b/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.qhelp
deleted file mode 100644
index 80b84580a57..00000000000
--- a/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.qhelp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-<!DOCTYPE qhelp PUBLIC
-  "-//Semmle//qhelp//EN"
-  "qhelp.dtd">
-<qhelp>
-<overview>
-<p>The program uses input from the user, propagated via a global variable, as a format string for <code>printf</code> style functions. 
-This can lead to buffer overflows or data representation problems. An attacker can exploit this weakness to crash the program, 
-disclose information or even execute arbitrary code.</p>
-
-<p>This rule only identifies inputs from the user that are transferred through global variables before being used in <code>printf</code> style functions.
-Analyzing the flow of data through global variables is more prone to errors and so this rule may identify some examples of code where 
-the input is not really from the user. For example, when a global variable is set in two places, one that comes from the user and one that does not.
-In this case we would mark all usages of the global variable as input from the user, but the input from the user may always came after the call to the
-<code>printf</code> style functions.</p>
-
-<p>The results of this rule should be considered alongside the related rule "Uncontrolled format string" which tracks the flow of the 
-values input by a user, excluding global variables, until the values are used as the format argument for a <code>printf</code> like function call.</p>
-
-</overview>
-<recommendation>
-<p>Use constant expressions as the format strings. If you need to print a value from the user, use <code>printf("%s", value_from_user)</code>.</p>
-
-</recommendation>
-<example>
-<sample src="UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.c" />
-
-</example>
-<references>
-
-<li>CERT C Coding
-Standard: <a href="https://www.securecoding.cert.org/confluence/display/c/FIO30-C.+Exclude+user+input+from+format+strings">FIO30-C. Exclude
-user input from format strings</a>.</li>
-
-
-</references>
-</qhelp>
diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.ql b/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.ql
deleted file mode 100644
index b37e34c296c..00000000000
--- a/cpp/ql/src/Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.ql
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @name Uncontrolled format string (through global variable)
- * @description Using externally-controlled format strings in
- *              printf-style functions can lead to buffer overflows
- *              or data representation problems.
- * @kind path-problem
- * @problem.severity warning
- * @security-severity 9.3
- * @precision high
- * @id cpp/tainted-format-string-through-global
- * @tags reliability
- *       security
- *       external/cwe/cwe-134
- */
-
-import cpp
-import semmle.code.cpp.security.FunctionWithWrappers
-import semmle.code.cpp.security.Security
-import semmle.code.cpp.ir.dataflow.internal.DefaultTaintTrackingImpl
-import TaintedWithPath
-
-class Configuration extends TaintTrackingConfiguration {
-  override predicate isSink(Element tainted) {
-    exists(PrintfLikeFunction printf | printf.outermostWrapperFunctionCall(tainted, _))
-  }
-
-  override predicate taintThroughGlobals() { any() }
-}
-
-from
-  PrintfLikeFunction printf, Expr arg, PathNode sourceNode, PathNode sinkNode,
-  string printfFunction, Expr userValue, string cause
-where
-  printf.outermostWrapperFunctionCall(arg, printfFunction) and
-  not taintedWithoutGlobals(arg) and
-  taintedWithPath(userValue, arg, sourceNode, sinkNode) and
-  isUserInput(userValue, cause)
-select arg, sourceNode, sinkNode,
-  "The value of this argument may come from $@ and is being used as a formatting argument to " +
-    printfFunction + ".", userValue, cause
diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/change-notes/2023-11-16-tainted-format-string-through-global-deleted.md b/cpp/ql/src/change-notes/2023-11-16-tainted-format-string-through-global-deleted.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a4b3be355bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/ql/src/change-notes/2023-11-16-tainted-format-string-through-global-deleted.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+category: breaking
+---
+* The `cpp/tainted-format-string-through-global` query has been deleted. This does not lead to a loss of relevant alerts, as the query duplicated a subset of the alerts from `cpp/tainted-format-string`.
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Security/CWE/CWE-134/semmle/globalVars/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.expected b/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Security/CWE/CWE-134/semmle/globalVars/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.expected
deleted file mode 100644
index 6aca673fb4b..00000000000
--- a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Security/CWE/CWE-134/semmle/globalVars/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.expected
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-edges
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | globalVars.c:27:9:27:12 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | globalVars.c:27:9:27:12 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | globalVars.c:33:15:33:18 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | globalVars.c:35:11:35:14 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:38:9:38:13 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:38:9:38:13 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:44:15:44:19 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:11:22:11:25 | argv | globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:11:22:11:25 | argv | globalVars.c:12:2:12:15 | ... = ... |
-| globalVars.c:12:2:12:15 | ... = ... | globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:15:21:15:23 | val | globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:15:21:15:23 | val | globalVars.c:16:2:16:12 | ... = ... |
-| globalVars.c:16:2:16:12 | ... = ... | globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | globalVars.c:11:22:11:25 | argv |
-| globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | globalVars.c:11:22:11:25 | argv |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | globalVars.c:35:11:35:14 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:33:15:33:18 | copy | globalVars.c:35:11:35:14 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:35:11:35:14 | copy | globalVars.c:15:21:15:23 | val |
-| globalVars.c:35:11:35:14 | copy | globalVars.c:35:11:35:14 | copy |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:44:15:44:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:44:15:44:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 |
-subpaths
-nodes
-| globalVars.c:8:7:8:10 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:9:7:9:11 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:11:22:11:25 | argv | semmle.label | argv |
-| globalVars.c:12:2:12:15 | ... = ... | semmle.label | ... = ... |
-| globalVars.c:15:21:15:23 | val | semmle.label | val |
-| globalVars.c:16:2:16:12 | ... = ... | semmle.label | ... = ... |
-| globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | semmle.label | argv |
-| globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | semmle.label | argv |
-| globalVars.c:27:9:27:12 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:27:9:27:12 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:33:15:33:18 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:35:11:35:14 | copy | semmle.label | copy |
-| globalVars.c:38:9:38:13 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:38:9:38:13 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:44:15:44:19 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-| globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 | semmle.label | copy2 |
-#select
-| globalVars.c:27:9:27:12 | copy | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | globalVars.c:27:9:27:12 | copy | The value of this argument may come from $@ and is being used as a formatting argument to printf(format). | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | argv |
-| globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | globalVars.c:30:15:30:18 | copy | The value of this argument may come from $@ and is being used as a formatting argument to printWrapper(str), which calls printf(format). | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | argv |
-| globalVars.c:38:9:38:13 | copy2 | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | globalVars.c:38:9:38:13 | copy2 | The value of this argument may come from $@ and is being used as a formatting argument to printf(format). | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | argv |
-| globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | globalVars.c:41:15:41:19 | copy2 | The value of this argument may come from $@ and is being used as a formatting argument to printWrapper(str), which calls printf(format). | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | argv |
-| globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | globalVars.c:50:9:50:13 | copy2 | The value of this argument may come from $@ and is being used as a formatting argument to printf(format). | globalVars.c:24:11:24:14 | argv | argv |
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Security/CWE/CWE-134/semmle/globalVars/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.qlref b/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Security/CWE/CWE-134/semmle/globalVars/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.qlref
deleted file mode 100644
index eac059de2bb..00000000000
--- a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Security/CWE/CWE-134/semmle/globalVars/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.qlref
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Security/CWE/CWE-134/UncontrolledFormatStringThroughGlobalVar.ql
\ No newline at end of file