diff --git a/Remote/External.hs b/Remote/External.hs
index 18dd6b6271..b8a9644802 100644
--- a/Remote/External.hs
+++ b/Remote/External.hs
@@ -211,8 +211,6 @@ handleRequest' lck external req mp responsehandler = do
 		value <- fromMaybe "" . M.lookup setting
 			<$> liftIO (atomically $ readTMVar $ externalConfig external)
 		sendMessage lck external (VALUE value)
-	handleRemoteRequest (SETSTATE k value) = error "TODO"
-	handleRemoteRequest (GETSTATE k) = error "TODO"
 	handleRemoteRequest (VERSION _) =
 		sendMessage lck external (ERROR "too late to send VERSION")
 
diff --git a/Remote/External/Types.hs b/Remote/External/Types.hs
index ff93af0ecd..a4d49ddf13 100644
--- a/Remote/External/Types.hs
+++ b/Remote/External/Types.hs
@@ -157,8 +157,6 @@ data RemoteRequest
 	| DIRHASH Key
 	| SETCONFIG Setting String
 	| GETCONFIG Setting
-	| SETSTATE Key String
-	| GETSTATE Key
 	deriving (Show)
 
 instance Receivable RemoteRequest where
@@ -167,8 +165,6 @@ instance Receivable RemoteRequest where
 	parseCommand "DIRHASH" = parse1 DIRHASH
 	parseCommand "SETCONFIG" = parse2 SETCONFIG
 	parseCommand "GETCONFIG" = parse1 GETCONFIG
-	parseCommand "SETSTATE" = parse2 SETSTATE
-	parseCommand "GETSTATE" = parse1 GETSTATE
 	parseCommand _ = parseFail
 
 -- Responses to RemoteRequest.
diff --git a/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn b/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn
index dd89e5074a..aab93ab081 100644
--- a/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn
+++ b/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn
@@ -188,17 +188,6 @@ in control.
   can have been set by a previous SETCONFIG. Can be run at any time.  
   (git-annex replies with VALUE followed by the value. If the setting is
   not set, the value will be empty.)
-* `SETSTATE Key Value`  
-  git-annex can store state in the git-annex branch on a
-  per-special-remote, per-key basis. This sets that state.  
-  (git-annex replies with VALUE followed by the value stored.)
-* `GETSTATE Key`  
-  Gets any state previously stored for the key from the git-annex branch.  
-  Note that some special remotes may be accessed from multiple
-  repositories, and the state is only eventually consistently synced
-  between them. If two repositories set different values in the state
-  for a key, the one that sets it last wins.  
-  (git-annex replies with VALUE followed by the value.)
 
 ## general messages