diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6283dcf..7007985 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -20,10 +20,9 @@ The home directory inside which Python MySQL settings will be stored, which Ansi
 
 The MySQL root user account password.
 
-    mysql_state: started
     mysql_enabled_on_startup: yes
 
-MySQL's state (`started`, `stopped`, `restarted`, `reloaded`), and whether to enable MySQL on startup.
+Whether MySQL should be enabled on startup.
 
     mysql_databases: []
 
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 97f6c62..3c93c8c 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ mysql_user_home: /root
 mysql_root_username: root
 mysql_root_password: root
 
-mysql_state: started
 mysql_enabled_on_startup: yes
 
 # Pass in a comma-separated list of repos to use (e.g. "remi,epel"). Used only
diff --git a/tasks/configure.yml b/tasks/configure.yml
index f22a923..405a50f 100644
--- a/tasks/configure.yml
+++ b/tasks/configure.yml
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@
   notify: restart mysql
 
 - name: Ensure MySQL is started and enabled on boot.
-  service: "name={{ mysql_daemon }} state={{ mysql_state }} enabled={{ mysql_enabled_on_startup }}"
+  service: "name={{ mysql_daemon }} state=started enabled={{ mysql_enabled_on_startup }}"