diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/1838-runit-deprecate-param-dist.yml b/changelogs/fragments/1838-runit-deprecate-param-dist.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5d133c074e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/1838-runit-deprecate-param-dist.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+deprecated_features:
+  - runit - unused parameter ``dist`` marked for deprecation (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/1830).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/system/runit.py b/plugins/modules/system/runit.py
index f8f3ada3da..30cd611b29 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/system/runit.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/system/runit.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ def main():
             name=dict(type='str', required=True),
             state=dict(type='str', choices=['killed', 'once', 'reloaded', 'restarted', 'started', 'stopped']),
             enabled=dict(type='bool'),
-            dist=dict(type='str', default='runit'),  # @FIXME unused param?
+            dist=dict(type='str', removed_in_version='4.0.0', removed_from_collection='community.general'),
             service_dir=dict(type='str', default='/var/service'),
             service_src=dict(type='str', default='/etc/sv'),
         ),
diff --git a/tests/sanity/ignore-2.10.txt b/tests/sanity/ignore-2.10.txt
index 094ff8b8b8..2c57596193 100644
--- a/tests/sanity/ignore-2.10.txt
+++ b/tests/sanity/ignore-2.10.txt
@@ -269,9 +269,7 @@ plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:doc-default-does-not-match-spe
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:parameter-invalid
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
-plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:doc-default-does-not-match-spec
 plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
-plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
 plugins/modules/system/ssh_config.py use-argspec-type-path # Required since module uses other methods to specify path
 plugins/modules/system/xfconf.py validate-modules:parameter-state-invalid-choice
 plugins/modules/system/xfconf.py validate-modules:return-syntax-error
diff --git a/tests/sanity/ignore-2.11.txt b/tests/sanity/ignore-2.11.txt
index 84de709c56..ed9bcf0fef 100644
--- a/tests/sanity/ignore-2.11.txt
+++ b/tests/sanity/ignore-2.11.txt
@@ -268,9 +268,7 @@ plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:doc-default-does-not-match-spe
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:parameter-invalid
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
-plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:doc-default-does-not-match-spec
 plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
-plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
 plugins/modules/system/ssh_config.py use-argspec-type-path # Required since module uses other methods to specify path
 plugins/modules/system/xfconf.py validate-modules:parameter-state-invalid-choice
 plugins/modules/system/xfconf.py validate-modules:return-syntax-error
diff --git a/tests/sanity/ignore-2.9.txt b/tests/sanity/ignore-2.9.txt
index 7d3f6b3acc..15decd093e 100644
--- a/tests/sanity/ignore-2.9.txt
+++ b/tests/sanity/ignore-2.9.txt
@@ -260,9 +260,7 @@ plugins/modules/system/puppet.py use-argspec-type-path
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:parameter-invalid
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
 plugins/modules/system/puppet.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
-plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:doc-default-does-not-match-spec
 plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
-plugins/modules/system/runit.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
 plugins/modules/system/ssh_config.py use-argspec-type-path # Required since module uses other methods to specify path
 plugins/modules/system/xfconf.py validate-modules:return-syntax-error
 plugins/modules/web_infrastructure/jenkins_plugin.py use-argspec-type-path