diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 764ef1adb..645d9b034 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,19 +14,17 @@ rust-version = "1.63.0"
 [features]
 default = ["std"]
 std = ["bitcoin/std", "bitcoin/secp-recovery", "bech32/std"]
-no-std = ["bech32/alloc"]
 compiler = []
 trace = []
 
-serde = ["actual-serde", "bitcoin/serde"]
+serde = ["dep:actual-serde", "bitcoin/serde"]
 rand = ["bitcoin/rand"]
 base64 = ["bitcoin/base64"]
 
 [dependencies]
-bech32 = { version = "0.11.0", default-features = false }
+bech32 = { version = "0.11.0", default-features = false, features = ["alloc"] }
 bitcoin = { version = "0.32.0", default-features = false }
 
-# Do NOT use this as a feature! Use the `serde` feature instead.
 actual-serde = { package = "serde", version = "1.0.103", optional = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6e638ff2a..b58a9643e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,24 +27,38 @@ are convertible to `bitcoin::PublicKey`
 completing an unsigned `bitcoin::TxIn` with appropriate data
 * Determining the specific keys, hash preimages and timelocks used to spend
 coins in a given Bitcoin transaction
-* `no_std` support enabled by disabling the `default-features` and enabling
-`"no-std"`. See `embedded/` for an example.
+* `no_std` support enabled by disabling the `default-features`. See `embedded/` for an example.
 
 More information can be found in [the documentation](https://docs.rs/miniscript)
 or in [the `examples/` directory](https://github.com/rust-bitcoin/rust-miniscript/tree/master/examples)
 
 ## Building
 
-The cargo feature `std` is enabled by default. At least one of the features `std` or `no-std` or both must be enabled.
+The cargo feature `std` is enabled by default. To enable `no_std` support you must disable default features.
 
-Enabling the `no-std` feature does not disable `std`. To disable the `std` feature you must disable default features. The `no-std` feature only enables additional features required for this crate to be usable without `std`. Both can be enabled without conflict.
+The library can be built and tested using [`cargo`](https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/):
+
+```
+git clone git@github.com:rust-bitcoin/rust-miniscript.git
+cd rust-miniscript
+cargo build
+```
+
+You can run tests with:
+
+```
+cargo test
+```
+
+Please refer to the [`cargo` documentation](https://doc.rust-lang.org/stable/cargo/) for more
+detailed instructions.
 
 ## Minimum Supported Rust Version (MSRV)
 
 This library should always compile with any combination of features on **Rust 1.63.0**.
 
 Some dependencies do not play nicely with our MSRV, if you are running the tests
-you may need to pin some dependencies. See `./contrib/test.sh` for current pinning.
+you may need to pin some dependencies. See `./contrib/pin.sh` for current pinning.
 
 ## Contributing
 
diff --git a/contrib/test_vars.sh b/contrib/test_vars.sh
index 337c4e921..2390b8348 100644
--- a/contrib/test_vars.sh
+++ b/contrib/test_vars.sh
@@ -7,12 +7,8 @@
 # Test all these features with "std" enabled.
 FEATURES_WITH_STD="compiler trace serde rand base64"
 
-# Test all these features with "no-std" enabled.
-# rust-miniscript only: https://github.com/rust-bitcoin/rust-miniscript/issues/681
-FEATURES_WITH_NO_STD="compiler trace serde rand base64"
-
 # Test all these features without "std" enabled.
-FEATURES_WITHOUT_STD=""
+FEATURES_WITHOUT_STD="compiler trace serde rand base64"
 
 # Run these examples.
 # Note `examples/big` should not be run.
diff --git a/embedded/Cargo.toml b/embedded/Cargo.toml
index 744c51733..15ac8ac4f 100644
--- a/embedded/Cargo.toml
+++ b/embedded/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ cortex-m-rt = "0.6.10"
 cortex-m-semihosting = "0.3.3"
 panic-halt = "0.2.0"
 alloc-cortex-m = "0.4.1"
-miniscript = { path = "../", default-features = false, features = ["no-std"] }
+miniscript = { path = "../", default-features = false }
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "embedded"
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 63885ab75..6ad5c9a08 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -89,9 +89,6 @@ compile_error!(
     "rust-miniscript currently only supports architectures with pointers wider than 16 bits"
 );
 
-#[cfg(not(any(feature = "std", feature = "no-std")))]
-compile_error!("at least one of the `std` or `no-std` features must be enabled");
-
 pub use bitcoin;
 
 #[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]