diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/Nominate.tsx b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/Nominate.tsx
index ae7c13f376..0eaabf02ab 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/Nominate.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/Nominate.tsx
@@ -15,15 +15,13 @@ import NominatePartial from '../partials/Nominate';
 interface Props {
   className?: string;
   controllerId: string;
-  next?: string[];
   nominating?: string[];
   onClose: () => void;
   stashId: string;
   targets: SortedTargets;
-  validators?: string[];
 }
 
-function Nominate ({ className = '', controllerId, next, nominating, onClose, stashId, targets, validators }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> | null {
+function Nominate ({ className = '', controllerId, nominating, onClose, stashId, targets }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> | null {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const [{ nominateTx }, setTx] = useState<NominateInfo>({});
 
@@ -37,12 +35,10 @@ function Nominate ({ className = '', controllerId, next, nominating, onClose, st
         <NominatePartial
           className='nominatePartial'
           controllerId={controllerId}
-          next={next}
           nominating={nominating}
           onChange={setTx}
           stashId={stashId}
           targets={targets}
-          validators={validators}
           withSenders
         />
       </Modal.Content>
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/index.tsx b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/index.tsx
index 48bd24a436..35beecf89a 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/Account/index.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ interface Props {
   validators?: string[];
 }
 
-function Account ({ allSlashes, className = '', info: { controllerId, destination, destinationId, hexSessionIdNext, hexSessionIdQueue, isLoading, isOwnController, isOwnStash, isStashNominating, isStashValidating, nominating, sessionIds, stakingLedger, stashId }, isDisabled, next, targets, validators }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
+function Account ({ allSlashes, className = '', info: { controllerId, destination, destinationId, hexSessionIdNext, hexSessionIdQueue, isLoading, isOwnController, isOwnStash, isStashNominating, isStashValidating, nominating, sessionIds, stakingLedger, stashId }, isDisabled, targets }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { api } = useApi();
   const { queueExtrinsic } = useContext(StatusContext);
@@ -133,12 +133,10 @@ function Account ({ allSlashes, className = '', info: { controllerId, destinatio
         {isNominateOpen && controllerId && (
           <Nominate
             controllerId={controllerId}
-            next={next}
             nominating={nominating}
             onClose={toggleNominate}
             stashId={stashId}
             targets={targets}
-            validators={validators}
           />
         )}
         {isSetControllerOpen && controllerId && (
@@ -326,7 +324,7 @@ function Account ({ allSlashes, className = '', info: { controllerId, destinatio
                   }
                   {isStashNominating &&
                     <Menu.Item
-                      disabled={!isOwnController}
+                      disabled={!isOwnController || !targets.validators?.length}
                       onClick={toggleNominate}
                     >
                       {t<string>('Set nominees')}
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/NewNominator.tsx b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/NewNominator.tsx
index b7037a3530..9263f24337 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/NewNominator.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/NewNominator.tsx
@@ -16,15 +16,13 @@ import NominatePartial from './partials/Nominate';
 
 interface Props {
   isInElection?: boolean;
-  next?: string[];
-  targets?: SortedTargets;
-  validators?: string[];
+  targets: SortedTargets;
 }
 
 const EMPTY_NOMS: string[] = [];
 const NUM_STEPS = 2;
 
-function NewNominator ({ isInElection, next, targets, validators }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
+function NewNominator ({ isInElection, targets }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { api } = useApi();
   const [isVisible, toggleVisible] = useToggle();
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@ function NewNominator ({ isInElection, next, targets, validators }: Props): Reac
     <>
       <Button
         icon='plus'
-        isDisabled={isDisabled}
+        isDisabled={isDisabled || !targets.validators?.length}
         key='new-nominator'
         label={t<string>('Nominator')}
         onClick={_toggle}
@@ -79,12 +77,10 @@ function NewNominator ({ isInElection, next, targets, validators }: Props): Reac
             {controllerId && stashId && step === 2 && (
               <NominatePartial
                 controllerId={controllerId}
-                next={next}
                 nominating={EMPTY_NOMS}
                 onChange={setNominateInfo}
                 stashId={stashId}
                 targets={targets}
-                validators={validators}
               />
             )}
           </Modal.Content>
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/index.tsx b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/index.tsx
index 7fe9fcd74b..6f8038d512 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/index.tsx
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ function extractState (ownStashes: StakerState[]): State {
   };
 }
 
-function Actions ({ className = '', isInElection, next, ownStashes, targets, validators }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
+function Actions ({ className = '', isInElection, ownStashes, targets }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const allSlashes = useAvailableSlashes();
   const [{ bondedTotal, foundStashes }, setState] = useState<State>({});
@@ -80,9 +80,7 @@ function Actions ({ className = '', isInElection, next, ownStashes, targets, val
       <Button.Group>
         <NewNominator
           isInElection={isInElection}
-          next={next}
           targets={targets}
-          validators={validators}
         />
         <NewValidator isInElection={isInElection} />
         <NewStash />
@@ -99,9 +97,7 @@ function Actions ({ className = '', isInElection, next, ownStashes, targets, val
             info={info}
             isDisabled={isInElection}
             key={info.stashId}
-            next={next}
             targets={targets}
-            validators={validators}
           />
         ))}
       </Table>
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/partials/Nominate.tsx b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/partials/Nominate.tsx
index 8e4294e86e..13e206706d 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/partials/Nominate.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/Actions/partials/Nominate.tsx
@@ -5,142 +5,40 @@
 import { NominateInfo } from './types';
 import { SortedTargets } from '../../types';
 
-import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import styled from 'styled-components';
-import { AddressMini, InputAddress, InputAddressMulti, Modal, Static, Toggle } from '@polkadot/react-components';
-import { getParentAccount } from '@polkadot/react-components/AccountName';
+import { InputAddress, InputAddressMulti, Modal } from '@polkadot/react-components';
 import { useApi, useFavorites } from '@polkadot/react-hooks';
-import { randomAsNumber } from '@polkadot/util-crypto';
 
-import { MAX_NOMINATIONS, MAX_PAYOUTS, STORE_FAVS_BASE } from '../../constants';
+import { MAX_NOMINATIONS, STORE_FAVS_BASE } from '../../constants';
 import { useTranslation } from '../../translate';
 
 interface Props {
   className?: string;
   controllerId: string;
-  next?: string[];
   nominating?: string[];
   onChange: (info: NominateInfo) => void;
   stashId: string;
   targets: SortedTargets;
-  validators: string[];
   withSenders?: boolean;
 }
 
-interface Selected {
-  isAutoSelect: boolean;
-  selected: string[];
-}
-
-function autoPick (targets: SortedTargets): string[] {
-  const parents: string[] = [];
-  const positions: number[] = [];
-
-  return (targets.validators || []).reduce((result: string[], { isElected, isFavorite, key, numNominators, rewardPayout }): string[] => {
-    if (result.length < MAX_NOMINATIONS) {
-      if (numNominators && (numNominators < MAX_PAYOUTS) && (isElected || isFavorite) && !rewardPayout.isZero()) {
-        const parent = getParentAccount(key);
-        let shouldInclude = isFavorite;
-
-        if (!shouldInclude) {
-          const noParent = !parents.includes(key) && (!parent || !parents.includes(parent));
-
-          if (noParent) {
-            shouldInclude = true;
-          } else {
-            const parentIndex = parent
-              ? parents.indexOf(parent)
-              : -1;
-            const keyIndex = parents.indexOf(key);
-            const index = keyIndex !== -1
-              ? keyIndex
-              : parentIndex;
-
-            // 66.6% chance to be replaced by a later one
-            if (index !== -1 && ((randomAsNumber() % 300) > 100)) {
-              result[positions[index]] = key;
-            }
-          }
-        }
-
-        if (shouldInclude) {
-          positions[parents.length] = result.length;
-          parents.push(key);
-
-          if (parent) {
-            positions[parents.length] = result.length;
-            parents.push(parent);
-          }
-
-          result.push(key);
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    return result;
-  }, []);
-}
-
-function initialPick (targets: SortedTargets): Selected {
-  const selected = targets.validators?.length
-    ? autoPick(targets)
-    : [];
-
-  return {
-    isAutoSelect: selected.length !== 0,
-    selected
-  };
-}
-
-function Nominate ({ className = '', controllerId, next, nominating, onChange, stashId, targets, validators, withSenders }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
+function Nominate ({ className = '', controllerId, nominating, onChange, stashId, targets: { validatorIds = [] }, withSenders }: Props): React.ReactElement<Props> {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { api } = useApi();
   const [favorites] = useFavorites(STORE_FAVS_BASE);
-  const [{ isAutoSelect, selected }, setSelected] = useState<Selected>(
-    // nominating?.length
-    //   ? { isAutoSelect: false, selected: nominating }
-    //   : initialPick(targets)
-    initialPick(targets)
-  );
+  const [selected, setSelected] = useState<string[]>(nominating || []);
   const [available] = useState<string[]>((): string[] => {
     const shortlist = [
       // ensure that the favorite is included in the list of stashes
-      ...favorites.filter((acc) => (validators || []).includes(acc) || (next || []).includes(acc)),
+      ...favorites.filter((acc) => validatorIds.includes(acc)),
       // make sure the nominee is not in our favorites already
       ...(nominating || []).filter((acc) => !favorites.includes(acc))
     ];
 
     return shortlist
-      .concat(...(validators || []).filter((acc) => !shortlist.includes(acc)))
-      .concat(...(next || []).filter((acc) => !shortlist.includes(acc)));
+      .concat(...(validatorIds.filter((acc) => !shortlist.includes(acc))));
   });
-  const [autoSelected, setAutoSelected] = useState<string[]>([]);
-
-  const _setSelected = useCallback(
-    (selected: string[]) => setSelected(({ isAutoSelect }: Selected) => ({
-      isAutoSelect,
-      selected
-    })),
-    []
-  );
-
-  const _toggleAutoSelect = useCallback(
-    (isAutoSelect: boolean) => setSelected(() => ({
-      isAutoSelect,
-      selected: isAutoSelect
-        ? autoSelected
-        : []
-    })),
-    [autoSelected]
-  );
-
-  useEffect((): void => {
-    setAutoSelected(
-      targets.validators?.length
-        ? autoPick(targets)
-        : []
-    );
-  }, [targets]);
 
   useEffect((): void => {
     onChange({
@@ -173,53 +71,18 @@ function Nominate ({ className = '', controllerId, next, nominating, onChange, s
       )}
       <Modal.Columns>
         <Modal.Column>
-          {isAutoSelect
-            ? (
-              <>
-                <Static
-                  label={t<string>('auto-selected targets for nomination')}
-                  value={
-                    selected.map((validatorId) => (
-                      <AddressMini
-                        className='addressStatic'
-                        isHighlight={favorites.includes(validatorId)}
-                        key={validatorId}
-                        value={validatorId}
-                      />
-                    ))
-                  }
-                />
-                <article className='warning'>{t<string>('The auto-selection is done on the current profitability of the validators taking your favorites into account. It is adjusted based on the commission and current range of backing for the validator. The calculation may and will change over time, so it is rather a selection based on the current state of the network, not a predictor of future profitability.')}</article>
-              </>
-            )
-            : (
-              <InputAddressMulti
-                available={available}
-                availableLabel={t<string>('candidate accounts')}
-                defaultValue={nominating}
-                help={t<string>('Filter available candidates based on name, address or short account index.')}
-                maxCount={MAX_NOMINATIONS}
-                onChange={_setSelected}
-                valueLabel={t<string>('nominated accounts')}
-              />
-            )
-          }
-          {autoSelected.length !== 0 && (
-            <Toggle
-              className='auto--toggle'
-              isDisabled={!targets.validators?.length}
-              label={
-                isAutoSelect
-                  ? t<string>('Use an automatic selection of the currently most profitable validators')
-                  : t<string>('Select targets manually (no auto-selection based on current profitability)')
-              }
-              onChange={_toggleAutoSelect}
-              value={isAutoSelect}
-            />
-          )}
+          <InputAddressMulti
+            available={available}
+            availableLabel={t<string>('candidate accounts')}
+            defaultValue={nominating}
+            help={t<string>('Filter available candidates based on name, address or short account index.')}
+            maxCount={MAX_NOMINATIONS}
+            onChange={setSelected}
+            valueLabel={t<string>('nominated accounts')}
+          />
         </Modal.Column>
         <Modal.Column>
-          <p>{t<string>('Nominators can be selected automatically based on the current on-chain conditions or supplied manually as selected from the list of all currently available validators. In both cases, your favorites appear for the selection.')}</p>
+          <p>{t<string>('Nominators can be selected manually from the list of all currently available validators. If you have set favorites these will appear for the selection.')}</p>
           <p>{t<string>('Once transmitted the new selection will only take effect in 2 eras since the selection criteria for the next era was done at the end of the previous era. Until then, the nominations will show as inactive.')}</p>
         </Modal.Column>
       </Modal.Columns>
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/Targets/index.tsx b/packages/page-staking/src/Targets/index.tsx
index 5e0f903d22..69ca2aacff 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/Targets/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/Targets/index.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import useOwnNominators from './useOwnNominators';
 interface Props {
   className?: string;
   isInElection: boolean;
-  next?: string[];
   ownStashes?: StakerState[];
   stakingOverview?: DeriveStakingOverview;
   targets: SortedTargets;
@@ -182,11 +181,11 @@ function Targets ({ className = '', isInElection, ownStashes, targets: { calcWit
         <Button
           icon='check'
           isDisabled={!validators?.length || !ownNominators?.length}
-          label={t<string>('Select best')}
+          label={t<string>('Most profitable')}
           onClick={_selectProfitable}
         />
         <Nominate
-          isDisabled={isInElection}
+          isDisabled={isInElection || !validators?.length}
           ownNominators={ownNominators}
           targets={selected}
         />
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/index.tsx b/packages/page-staking/src/index.tsx
index 3e88a1299e..be1c35064c 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/index.tsx
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ function StakingApp ({ basePath, className = '' }: Props): React.ReactElement<Pr
   const { api } = useApi();
   const { hasAccounts } = useAccounts();
   const { pathname } = useLocation();
-  const [{ next, validators }, setValidators] = useState<Validators>({});
+  const [{ next }, setValidators] = useState<Validators>({});
   const [favorites, toggleFavorite] = useFavorites(STORE_FAVS_BASE);
   const allStashes = useStashIds();
   const ownStashes = useOwnStashInfos();
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ function StakingApp ({ basePath, className = '' }: Props): React.ReactElement<Pr
         <Route path={`${basePath}/targets`}>
           <Targets
             isInElection={isInElection}
-            next={next}
             ownStashes={ownStashes}
             stakingOverview={stakingOverview}
             targets={targets}
@@ -144,10 +143,8 @@ function StakingApp ({ basePath, className = '' }: Props): React.ReactElement<Pr
       <Actions
         className={pathname === `${basePath}/actions` ? '' : 'staking--hidden'}
         isInElection={isInElection}
-        next={next}
         ownStashes={ownStashes}
         targets={targets}
-        validators={validators}
       />
       <Overview
         className={basePath === pathname ? '' : 'staking--hidden'}
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/types.ts b/packages/page-staking/src/types.ts
index 4b6e9cbc5d..6122bf1dfc 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/types.ts
@@ -67,4 +67,5 @@ export interface SortedTargets {
   setCalcWith: (amount?: BN) => void;
   totalStaked?: BN;
   validators?: ValidatorInfo[];
+  validatorIds?: string[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/page-staking/src/useSortedTargets.ts b/packages/page-staking/src/useSortedTargets.ts
index 652f78c134..8f93e782c6 100644
--- a/packages/page-staking/src/useSortedTargets.ts
+++ b/packages/page-staking/src/useSortedTargets.ts
@@ -139,8 +139,9 @@ function extractInfo (allAccounts: string[], amount: BN = baseBalance(), elected
   const [elected, nominators, totalStaked] = extractSingle(allAccounts, amount, electedDerive, favorites, perValidatorReward, true);
   const [waiting] = extractSingle(allAccounts, amount, waitingDerive, favorites, perValidatorReward, false);
   const validators = sortValidators(elected.concat(waiting));
+  const validatorIds = validators.map(({ accountId }) => accountId.toString());
 
-  return { nominators, totalStaked, validators };
+  return { nominators, totalStaked, validatorIds, validators };
 }
 
 export default function useSortedTargets (favorites: string[]): SortedTargets {