diff --git a/python/ycm/completers/cpp/flags.py b/python/ycm/completers/cpp/flags.py
index c2e4377f..2b83fd71 100644
--- a/python/ycm/completers/cpp/flags.py
+++ b/python/ycm/completers/cpp/flags.py
@@ -35,13 +35,11 @@ class Flags( object ):
   def __init__( self ):
     # It's caches all the way down...
     self.flags_for_file = {}
-    self.special_clang_flags = _SpecialClangIncludes()
     self.no_extra_conf_file_warning_posted = False
 
 
   def FlagsForFile( self,
                     filename,
-                    add_special_clang_flags = True,
                     client_data = None ):
     try:
       return self.flags_for_file[ filename ]
@@ -64,8 +62,6 @@ class Flags( object ):
       if not flags:
         return None
 
-      if add_special_clang_flags:
-        flags += self.special_clang_flags
       sanitized_flags = PrepareFlagsForClang( flags, filename )
 
       if results[ 'do_cache' ]:
@@ -198,9 +194,5 @@ def _RemoveUnusedFlags( flags, filename ):
   return new_flags
 
 
-def _SpecialClangIncludes():
-  libclang_dir = os.path.dirname( ycm_core.__file__ )
-  path_to_includes = os.path.join( libclang_dir, 'clang_includes' )
-  return [ '-isystem', path_to_includes ]