diff --git a/orbit/changes/11777-deprecate-kickstart-softwareupdated b/orbit/changes/11777-deprecate-kickstart-softwareupdated
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4d2dd2732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orbit/changes/11777-deprecate-kickstart-softwareupdated
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+* Removed automatic functionality to call `launchctl kickstart -k softwareupdated` periodically, which was causing issues on some macOS devices.
+  The `--disable-kickstart-softwareupdated` flag is kept for backwards compatibility but it doesn't have any effect.
diff --git a/orbit/cmd/orbit/orbit.go b/orbit/cmd/orbit/orbit.go
index 1087ac08b..55fa3f198 100644
--- a/orbit/cmd/orbit/orbit.go
+++ b/orbit/cmd/orbit/orbit.go
@@ -151,9 +151,15 @@ func main() {
 			Usage:   "Launch Fleet Desktop application (flag currently only used on darwin)",
 			EnvVars: []string{"ORBIT_FLEET_DESKTOP"},
 		},
+		// Note: this flag doesn't have any effect anymore. I'm keeping
+		// it just for backwards compatibility since some users were
+		// using it because softwareupdated was causing problems and I
+		// don't want to break their setups.
+		//
+		// For more context please check out: https://github.com/fleetdm/fleet/issues/11777
 		&cli.BoolFlag{
 			Name:    "disable-kickstart-softwareupdated",
-			Usage:   "Disable periodic execution of 'launchctl kickstart -k softwareupdated' on macOS",
+			Usage:   "(Deprecated) Disable periodic execution of 'launchctl kickstart -k softwareupdated' on macOS",
 			EnvVars: []string{"ORBIT_FLEET_DISABLE_KICKSTART_SOFTWAREUPDATED"},
 			Hidden:  true,
 		},
@@ -335,13 +341,8 @@ func main() {
 		g.Add(systemChecker.Execute, systemChecker.Interrupt)
 		go osservice.SetupServiceManagement(constant.SystemServiceName, systemChecker.svcInterruptCh, appDoneCh)
 
-		// periodically run launchctl kickstart -k softwareupdated on macOS
-		if runtime.GOOS == "darwin" && !c.Bool("disable-kickstart-softwareupdated") {
-			const softwareUpdatedKickstartInterval = 12 * time.Hour
-			updatedRunner := update.NewSoftwareUpdatedRunner(update.SoftwareUpdatedOptions{
-				Interval: softwareUpdatedKickstartInterval,
-			})
-			g.Add(updatedRunner.Execute, updatedRunner.Interrupt)
+		if !c.Bool("disable-kickstart-softwareupdated") {
+			log.Warn().Msg("fleetd no longer automatically kickstarts softwareupdated. The --disable-kickstart-softwareupdated flag, which was previously used to disable this behavior, has been deprecated and will be removed in a future version")
 		}
 
 		updateClientCrtPath := filepath.Join(c.String("root-dir"), constant.UpdateTLSClientCertificateFileName)
diff --git a/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_darwin.go b/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_darwin.go
index 66941518e..65cbdf7c2 100644
--- a/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_darwin.go
+++ b/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_darwin.go
@@ -5,7 +5,3 @@ package update
 func runRenewEnrollmentProfile() error {
 	return runCmdCollectErr("/usr/bin/profiles", "renew", "--type", "enrollment")
 }
-
-func runKickstartSoftwareUpdated() error {
-	return runCmdCollectErr("launchctl", "kickstart", "-k", "system/com.apple.softwareupdated")
-}
diff --git a/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_stub.go b/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_stub.go
index a7d9fa1e1..405f7d76c 100644
--- a/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_stub.go
+++ b/orbit/pkg/update/execcmd_stub.go
@@ -5,7 +5,3 @@ package update
 func runRenewEnrollmentProfile() error {
 	return nil
 }
-
-func runKickstartSoftwareUpdated() error {
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/orbit/pkg/update/softwareupdated_runner.go b/orbit/pkg/update/softwareupdated_runner.go
deleted file mode 100644
index a4830ebf9..000000000
--- a/orbit/pkg/update/softwareupdated_runner.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,79 +0,0 @@
-package update
-
-import (
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
-)
-
-// SoftwareUpdatedRunner is a specialized runner to periodically kickstart the
-// softwareupdated service on macOS, to work around a bug where the service
-// hangs from time to time and prevents updates from being downloaded or update
-// notifications from being shown.
-//
-// It is designed with Execute and Interrupt functions to be compatible with
-// oklog/run.
-type SoftwareUpdatedRunner struct {
-	opt    SoftwareUpdatedOptions
-	cancel chan struct{}
-}
-
-// SoftwareUpdatedOptions defines the options provided for the softwareupdated
-// runner.
-type SoftwareUpdatedOptions struct {
-	// Interval is the interval at which to run the the kickstart softwareupdated
-	// command.
-	Interval time.Duration
-
-	// runCmdFn can be set in tests to mock the command executed to kickstart
-	// softwareupdated. If nil, defaults to runKickstartSoftwareUpdated.
-	runCmdFn runCmdFunc
-}
-
-// NewSoftwareUpdatedRunner creates a new runner with the provided options. The
-// runner must be started with Execute.
-func NewSoftwareUpdatedRunner(opt SoftwareUpdatedOptions) *SoftwareUpdatedRunner {
-	return &SoftwareUpdatedRunner{
-		opt:    opt,
-		cancel: make(chan struct{}),
-	}
-}
-
-// Execute starts the loop to periodically run the kickstart command.
-func (r *SoftwareUpdatedRunner) Execute() error {
-	log.Debug().Msg("starting softwareupdated runner")
-
-	// ensure it runs ~immediately the first time (e.g. on startup)
-	firstInterval := 10 * time.Second
-	if r.opt.Interval < firstInterval {
-		firstInterval = r.opt.Interval
-	}
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(firstInterval)
-	defer ticker.Stop()
-
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-r.cancel:
-			return nil
-
-		case <-ticker.C:
-			log.Info().Msg("executing launchctl kickstart -k softwareupdated")
-			fn := r.opt.runCmdFn
-			if fn == nil {
-				fn = runKickstartSoftwareUpdated
-			}
-			if err := fn(); err != nil {
-				log.Info().Err(err).Msg("executing launchctl kickstart -k softwareupdated failed")
-			}
-			// run at the defined interval the next time around
-			ticker.Reset(r.opt.Interval)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Interrupt is the oklog/run interrupt method that stops the runner when
-// called.
-func (r *SoftwareUpdatedRunner) Interrupt(err error) {
-	close(r.cancel)
-	log.Debug().Err(err).Msg("interrupt for softwareupdated runner")
-}
diff --git a/orbit/pkg/update/softwareupdated_runner_test.go b/orbit/pkg/update/softwareupdated_runner_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 1d54294e7..000000000
--- a/orbit/pkg/update/softwareupdated_runner_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-package update
-
-import (
-	"sync/atomic"
-	"testing"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/oklog/run"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-)
-
-func TestSoftwareUpdatedRunner(t *testing.T) {
-	var callCount int32
-	runFn := func() error {
-		atomic.AddInt32(&callCount, 1)
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	var g run.Group
-	// add the "lead" runner, it will return after 1s and cause all runners to stop
-	g.Add(func() error { time.Sleep(time.Second); return nil }, func(error) {})
-
-	// add the softwareupdated runner, should run at least 2 times (leave some
-	// wiggle room in case it is so slow on CI that it is not scheduled more
-	// often).
-	r := NewSoftwareUpdatedRunner(SoftwareUpdatedOptions{Interval: 300 * time.Millisecond, runCmdFn: runFn})
-	g.Add(r.Execute, r.Interrupt)
-
-	err := g.Run()
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.GreaterOrEqual(t, atomic.LoadInt32(&callCount), int32(2))
-}