diff --git a/include/rocksdb/write_buffer_manager.h b/include/rocksdb/write_buffer_manager.h
index 3c97638814ae..f2b93d8aa55e 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/write_buffer_manager.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/write_buffer_manager.h
@@ -56,17 +56,13 @@ class WriteBufferManager final {
   // when `flush_size` is triggered. By enabling this flag, the oldest mutable
   // memtable will be frozen instead.
   //
-  // - flush_deadline: Interval in seconds. Flush memtable immediately if its
-  // oldest key was written before `now - flush_deadline` and the total memory
-  // reaches `flush_size`.
-  //
   // - cache: if `cache` is provided, memtable memory will be charged as a
   // dummy entry This is useful to keep the memory sum of both memtable and
   // block cache under control.
-  explicit WriteBufferManager(
-      size_t flush_size, std::shared_ptr<Cache> cache = {},
-      float stall_ratio = 0.0, bool flush_oldest_first = false,
-      uint64_t flush_deadline = std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max());
+  explicit WriteBufferManager(size_t flush_size,
+                              std::shared_ptr<Cache> cache = {},
+                              float stall_ratio = 0.0,
+                              bool flush_oldest_first = false);
   // No copying allowed
   WriteBufferManager(const WriteBufferManager&) = delete;
   WriteBufferManager& operator=(const WriteBufferManager&) = delete;
@@ -105,10 +101,6 @@ class WriteBufferManager final {
     flush_oldest_first_.store(v, std::memory_order_relaxed);
   }
 
-  void SetDeadline(uint64_t deadline) {
-    flush_deadline_.store(deadline, std::memory_order_relaxed);
-  }
-
   // Below functions should be called by RocksDB internally.
 
   // This handle is the same as the one created by `DB::Open` or
@@ -204,7 +196,6 @@ class WriteBufferManager final {
   // Only used when flush_size is non-zero.
   std::atomic<size_t> memory_active_;
   std::atomic<bool> flush_oldest_first_;
-  std::atomic<uint64_t> flush_deadline_;
 
   const bool allow_stall_;
   const float stall_ratio_;
diff --git a/memtable/write_buffer_manager.cc b/memtable/write_buffer_manager.cc
index dbf447e79a4f..0f6cad7f9927 100644
--- a/memtable/write_buffer_manager.cc
+++ b/memtable/write_buffer_manager.cc
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ WriteBufferManager::WriteBufferManager(size_t _flush_size,
       flush_size_(_flush_size),
       memory_active_(0),
       flush_oldest_first_(flush_oldest_first),
-      flush_deadline_(flush_deadline),
       allow_stall_(stall_ratio >= 1.0),
       stall_ratio_(stall_ratio),
       stall_active_(false),
@@ -187,33 +186,29 @@ void WriteBufferManager::MaybeFlushLocked(DB* this_db) {
   uint64_t max_score = 0;
   uint64_t current_score = 0;
 
-  uint64_t deadline_interval = flush_deadline_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
-  uint64_t deadline_time = 0;
-  if (deadline_interval != std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max()) {
-    int64_t current;
-    auto s = SystemClock::Default()->GetCurrentTime(&current);
-    if (s.ok()) {
-      assert(current > 0);
-      if (static_cast<uint64_t>(current) > deadline_interval) {
-        deadline_time = static_cast<uint64_t>(current) - deadline_interval;
-      }
-    }
-  }
   for (auto& s : sentinels_) {
+    // TODO: move this calculation to a callback.
     uint64_t current_memory_bytes = std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max();
     uint64_t oldest_time = std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max();
     s->db->GetApproximateActiveMemTableStats(s->cf, &current_memory_bytes,
                                              &oldest_time);
-    if (oldest_time < deadline_time) {
-      candidate = s.get();
-      candidate_size = current_memory_bytes;
-      break;
-    } else if (flush_oldest_first_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
+    if (flush_oldest_first_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
       // Convert oldest to highest score.
       current_score = std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max() - oldest_time;
     } else {
       current_score = current_memory_bytes;
     }
+    // A very mild penalty for too many L0 files.
+    uint64_t level0;
+    if (s->db->GetProperty(kNumFilesAtLevelPrefix + "0", &level0).ok() &&
+        level0 >= 4) {
+      // 4->2, 5->4, 6->8, 7->12, 8->18
+      uint64_t factor = (level0 - 2) * (level0 - 2) / 2;
+      if (factor > 100) {
+        factor = 100;
+      }
+      current_score = current_score * (100 - factor) / factor;
+    }
     if (current_score > max_score) {
       candidate = s.get();
       max_score = current_score;