This paper describes an optimal ripple-free deadbeat control strategy for single-input-single-output (SISO) linear sampled data plants. The cost function to be minimized is a linear combination of a time-weighted cumulative term that penalizes the tracking error, that is, an integral of time squared error (ITSE) cost term, and a cumulative term which penalizes the control signal deviations from its steady-state value. The optimization problem turns out to be convex, and closed-form solutions are obtained. An example is included to illustrate our results. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.