diff --git a/CHANGELIST.md b/CHANGELIST.md
index 2c488c1e..61db3129 100644
--- a/CHANGELIST.md
+++ b/CHANGELIST.md
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@
 - Merge UI.Core into main application
 - Rename main application to MPF.UI
 - Fix build scripts
+- Make protection file output required
 
 ### 3.1.9a (2024-05-21)
 
diff --git a/MPF.Core/Options.cs b/MPF.Core/Options.cs
index 3b867fd3..2db80070 100644
--- a/MPF.Core/Options.cs
+++ b/MPF.Core/Options.cs
@@ -405,15 +405,6 @@ namespace MPF.Core
             set { Settings["ScanForProtection"] = value.ToString(); }
         }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Output all found protections to a separate file in the directory
-        /// </summary>
-        public bool OutputSeparateProtectionFile
-        {
-            get { return GetBooleanSetting(Settings, "OutputSeparateProtectionFile", true); }
-            set { Settings["OutputSeparateProtectionFile"] = value.ToString(); }
-        }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Add placeholder values in the submission info
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/MPF.Frontend/DumpEnvironment.cs b/MPF.Frontend/DumpEnvironment.cs
index 2dde0f15..2ed97d28 100644
--- a/MPF.Frontend/DumpEnvironment.cs
+++ b/MPF.Frontend/DumpEnvironment.cs
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ namespace MPF.Frontend
             // Write the copy protection output
             if (submissionInfo?.CopyProtection?.FullProtections != null && submissionInfo.CopyProtection.FullProtections.Any())
             {
-                if (_options.ScanForProtection && _options.OutputSeparateProtectionFile)
+                if (_options.ScanForProtection)
                 {
                     resultProgress?.Report(ResultEventArgs.Success("Writing protection to !protectionInfo.txt..."));
                     bool scanSuccess = InfoTool.WriteProtectionData(outputDirectory, filenameSuffix, submissionInfo, _options.HideDriveLetters);
diff --git a/MPF.Frontend/OptionsLoader.cs b/MPF.Frontend/OptionsLoader.cs
index ba70d3a0..e205455c 100644
--- a/MPF.Frontend/OptionsLoader.cs
+++ b/MPF.Frontend/OptionsLoader.cs
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ namespace MPF.Frontend
             string? parsedPath = null;
 
             // These values require multiple parts to be active
-            bool scan = false, protectFile = false, hideDriveLetters = false;
+            bool scan = false, hideDriveLetters = false;
 
             // If we have no arguments, just return
             if (args == null || args.Length == 0)
@@ -177,12 +177,6 @@ namespace MPF.Frontend
                     scan = true;
                 }
 
-                // Output protection to separate file (requires scan for protection)
-                else if (args[startIndex].Equals("-f") || args[startIndex].Equals("--protect-file"))
-                {
-                    protectFile = true;
-                }
-
                 // Hide drive letters from scan output (requires --protect-file)
                 else if (args[startIndex].Equals("-g") || args[startIndex].Equals("--hide-drive-letters"))
                 {
@@ -235,8 +229,7 @@ namespace MPF.Frontend
 
             // Now deal with the complex options
             options.ScanForProtection = scan && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(parsedPath);
-            options.OutputSeparateProtectionFile = scan && protectFile && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(parsedPath);
-            options.HideDriveLetters = hideDriveLetters && scan && protectFile && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(parsedPath);
+            options.HideDriveLetters = hideDriveLetters && scan && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(parsedPath);
 
             return (options, info, parsedPath, startIndex);
         }
@@ -253,7 +246,6 @@ namespace MPF.Frontend
                 "-a, --pull-all                 Pull all information from Redump (requires --credentials)",
                 "-p, --path <drivepath>         Physical drive path for additional checks",
                 "-s, --scan                     Enable copy protection scan (requires --path)",
-                "-f, --protect-file             Output protection to separate file (requires --scan)",
                 "-g, --hide-drive-letters       Hide drive letters from scan output (requires --protect-file)",
                 "-l, --load-seed <path>         Load a seed submission JSON for user information",
                 "-x, --suffix                   Enable adding filename suffix",
diff --git a/MPF.UI/Windows/OptionsWindow.xaml b/MPF.UI/Windows/OptionsWindow.xaml
index d1f28087..2ce7e067 100644
--- a/MPF.UI/Windows/OptionsWindow.xaml
+++ b/MPF.UI/Windows/OptionsWindow.xaml
@@ -197,11 +197,6 @@
                                      ToolTip="Show program output in separate command window instead of in the log. Enable this if you have a weaker system as there is an increased processing load otherwise." Margin="0,4"
                                      />
 
-                                <CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" Content="Output Protection File"
-                                    IsChecked="{Binding Options.OutputSeparateProtectionFile}" IsEnabled="{Binding Options.ScanForProtection}"
-                                    ToolTip="Output protection information to a separate file" Margin="0,4,0,0"
-                                    />
-
                                 <CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" Content="Show Disc Info"
                                      IsChecked="{Binding Options.PromptForDiscInformation}"
                                      ToolTip="Enable showing the disc information output after dumping" Margin="0,4"