diff --git a/src/static/js/collab_client.js b/src/static/js/collab_client.js
index a6f77ba3e..a34da7287 100644
--- a/src/static/js/collab_client.js
+++ b/src/static/js/collab_client.js
@@ -102,9 +102,6 @@ class CollabClient {
 
     this._serverMessageTaskQueue = new TaskQueue();
 
-    this._idleGate = new Gate();
-    this._idleGate.open();
-
     this.addHistoricalAuthors(serverVars.historicalAuthorData);
     this._tellAceActiveAuthorInfo(this._initialUserInfo);
 
@@ -158,7 +155,6 @@ class CollabClient {
       if (userChangesData.changeset) {
         this._lastCommitTime = now;
         this._committing = true;
-        this._idleGate = new Gate();
         this._stateMessage = {
           type: 'USER_CHANGES',
           baseRev: this._rev,
@@ -436,7 +432,6 @@ class CollabClient {
 
   setStateIdle() {
     this._committing = false;
-    this._idleGate.open();
     this._callbacks.onInternalAction('newlyIdle');
   }
 
@@ -444,11 +439,6 @@ class CollabClient {
     this._isPendingRevision = value;
   }
 
-  async callWhenNotCommitting(func) {
-    await this._idleGate;
-    return await func();
-  }
-
   setOnUserJoin(cb) {
     this._callbacks.onUserJoin = cb;
   }
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad.js b/src/static/js/pad.js
index 11435e0ea..6a8e95a89 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad.js
@@ -715,9 +715,6 @@ const pad = {
         .val(JSON.stringify(pad.collabClient.getMissedChanges()));
     $('form#reconnectform').submit();
   },
-  callWhenNotCommitting: (f) => {
-    pad.collabClient.callWhenNotCommitting(f);
-  },
   getCollabRevisionNumber: () => pad.collabClient.getCurrentRevisionNumber(),
   isFullyConnected: () => padconnectionstatus.isFullyConnected(),
   addHistoricalAuthors: (data) => {