diff --git a/src/locales/en.json b/src/locales/en.json
index 774dd0d41..5737fab00 100644
--- a/src/locales/en.json
+++ b/src/locales/en.json
@@ -172,9 +172,6 @@
   "pad.savedrevs.timeslider": "You can see saved revisions by visiting the timeslider",
   "pad.userlist.entername": "Enter your name",
   "pad.userlist.unnamed": "unnamed",
-  "pad.userlist.guest": "Guest",
-  "pad.userlist.deny": "Deny",
-  "pad.userlist.approve": "Approve",
   "pad.editbar.clearcolors": "Clear authorship colors on entire document? This cannot be undone",
 
   "pad.impexp.importbutton": "Import Now",
diff --git a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
index 26ded5039..279b08dfa 100644
--- a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
+++ b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
@@ -1013,9 +1013,7 @@ async function handleClientReady(socket, message, authorID) {
       },
       automaticReconnectionTimeout: settings.automaticReconnectionTimeout,
       initialRevisionList: [],
-      initialOptions: {
-        guestPolicy: 'deny',
-      },
+      initialOptions: {},
       savedRevisions: pad.getSavedRevisions(),
       collab_client_vars: {
         initialAttributedText: atext,
@@ -1028,7 +1026,6 @@ async function handleClientReady(socket, message, authorID) {
       },
       colorPalette: authorManager.getColorPalette(),
       clientIp: '127.0.0.1',
-      userIsGuest: true,
       userColor: authorColorId,
       padId: message.padId,
       padOptions: settings.padOptions,
diff --git a/src/static/js/collab_client.js b/src/static/js/collab_client.js
index 43e6e3a25..a9d748494 100644
--- a/src/static/js/collab_client.js
+++ b/src/static/js/collab_client.js
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ function getCollabClient(ace2editor, serverVars, initialUserInfo, options, _pad)
     onClientMessage() {},
     onInternalAction() {},
     onConnectionTrouble() {},
-    onServerMessage() {},
   };
   if (browser.firefox) {
     // Prevent "escape" from taking effect and canceling a comet connection;
@@ -392,8 +391,6 @@ function getCollabClient(ace2editor, serverVars, initialUserInfo, options, _pad)
       // there are less than 100 messages or we reached the top
       if (chat.historyPointer <= 0) { $('#chatloadmessagesbutton').css('display', 'none'); } else // there are still more messages, re-show the load-button
       { $('#chatloadmessagesbutton').css('display', 'block'); }
-    } else if (msg.type == 'SERVER_MESSAGE') {
-      callbacks.onServerMessage(msg.payload);
     }
 
     // HACKISH: User messages do not have "payload" but "userInfo", so that all "handleClientMessage_USER_" hooks would work, populate payload
@@ -586,9 +583,6 @@ function getCollabClient(ace2editor, serverVars, initialUserInfo, options, _pad)
     setOnConnectionTrouble(cb) {
       callbacks.onConnectionTrouble = cb;
     },
-    setOnServerMessage(cb) {
-      callbacks.onServerMessage = cb;
-    },
     updateUserInfo: defer(updateUserInfo),
     handleMessageFromServer,
     getConnectedUsers,
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad.js b/src/static/js/pad.js
index 9a848736f..d75e1c4f0 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad.js
@@ -337,9 +337,6 @@ var pad = {
   getPrivilege(name) {
     return clientVars.accountPrivs[name];
   },
-  getUserIsGuest() {
-    return clientVars.userIsGuest;
-  },
   getUserId() {
     return pad.myUserInfo.userId;
   },
@@ -440,7 +437,6 @@ var pad = {
     pad.collabClient.setOnUpdateUserInfo(pad.handleUserUpdate);
     pad.collabClient.setOnUserLeave(pad.handleUserLeave);
     pad.collabClient.setOnClientMessage(pad.handleClientMessage);
-    pad.collabClient.setOnServerMessage(pad.handleServerMessage);
     pad.collabClient.setOnChannelStateChange(pad.handleChannelStateChange);
     pad.collabClient.setOnInternalAction(pad.handleCollabAction);
 
@@ -537,18 +533,11 @@ var pad = {
       }
       padeditor.setViewOptions(pad.padOptions.view);
     }
-    if (opts.guestPolicy) {
-      // order important here
-      pad.padOptions.guestPolicy = opts.guestPolicy;
-    }
   },
   getPadOptions() {
     // caller shouldn't mutate the object
     return pad.padOptions;
   },
-  isPadPublic() {
-    return pad.getPadOptions().guestPolicy == 'allow';
-  },
   suggestUserName(userId, name) {
     pad.collabClient.sendClientMessage(
         {
@@ -579,9 +568,6 @@ var pad = {
     } else if (msg.type == 'padoptions') {
       const opts = msg.options;
       pad.handleOptionsChange(opts);
-    } else if (msg.type == 'guestanswer') {
-      // someone answered a prompt, remove it
-      paduserlist.removeGuestPrompt(msg.guestId);
     }
   },
   dmesg(m) {
@@ -594,21 +580,6 @@ var pad = {
       }
     }
   },
-  handleServerMessage(m) {
-    if (m.type == 'NOTICE') {
-      if (m.text) {
-        alertBar.displayMessage((abar) => {
-          abar.find('#servermsgdate').text(` (${padutils.simpleDateTime(new Date())})`);
-          abar.find('#servermsgtext').text(m.text);
-        });
-      }
-      if (m.js) {
-        window['ev' + 'al'](m.js);
-      }
-    } else if (m.type == 'GUEST_PROMPT') {
-      paduserlist.showGuestPrompt(m.userId, m.displayName);
-    }
-  },
   handleChannelStateChange(newState, message) {
     const oldFullyConnected = !!padconnectionstatus.isFullyConnected();
     const wasConnecting = (padconnectionstatus.getStatus().what == 'connecting');
@@ -695,9 +666,6 @@ var pad = {
       padeditbar.setSyncStatus('done');
     }
   },
-  hideServerMessage() {
-    alertBar.hideMessage();
-  },
   asyncSendDiagnosticInfo() {
     window.setTimeout(() => {
       $.ajax(
@@ -743,35 +711,6 @@ var pad = {
   },
 };
 
-var alertBar = (function () {
-  const animator = padutils.makeShowHideAnimator(arriveAtAnimationState, false, 25, 400);
-
-  function arriveAtAnimationState(state) {
-    if (state == -1) {
-      $('#alertbar').css('opacity', 0).css('display', 'block');
-    } else if (state == 0) {
-      $('#alertbar').css('opacity', 1);
-    } else if (state == 1) {
-      $('#alertbar').css('opacity', 0).css('display', 'none');
-    } else if (state < 0) {
-      $('#alertbar').css('opacity', state + 1);
-    } else if (state > 0) {
-      $('#alertbar').css('opacity', 1 - state);
-    }
-  }
-
-  const self = {
-    displayMessage(setupFunc) {
-      animator.show();
-      setupFunc($('#alertbar'));
-    },
-    hideMessage() {
-      animator.hide();
-    },
-  };
-  return self;
-}());
-
 function init() {
   return pad.init();
 }
@@ -794,4 +733,3 @@ exports.getUrlVars = getUrlVars;
 exports.handshake = handshake;
 exports.pad = pad;
 exports.init = init;
-exports.alertBar = alertBar;
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad_userlist.js b/src/static/js/pad_userlist.js
index 30b488019..54e7fd4a8 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad_userlist.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad_userlist.js
@@ -352,26 +352,6 @@ const paduserlist = (function () {
     jqueryNode.removeAttr('disabled').addClass('editable');
   }
 
-  const knocksToIgnore = {};
-  let guestPromptFlashState = 0;
-  const guestPromptFlash = padutils.makeAnimationScheduler(
-
-      () => {
-        const prompts = $('#guestprompts .guestprompt');
-        if (prompts.length == 0) {
-          return false; // no more to do
-        }
-
-        guestPromptFlashState = 1 - guestPromptFlashState;
-        if (guestPromptFlashState) {
-          prompts.css('background', '#ffa');
-        } else {
-          prompts.css('background', '#ffe');
-        }
-
-        return true;
-      }, 1000);
-
   var pad = undefined;
   var self = {
     init(myInitialUserInfo, _pad) {
@@ -383,18 +363,16 @@ const paduserlist = (function () {
 
       $('#otheruserstable tr').remove();
 
-      if (pad.getUserIsGuest()) {
-        $('#myusernameedit').addClass('myusernameedithoverable');
-        setUpEditable($('#myusernameedit'), () => myUserInfo.name || '', (newValue) => {
-          myUserInfo.name = newValue;
-          pad.notifyChangeName(newValue);
-          // wrap with setTimeout to do later because we get
-          // a double "blur" fire in IE...
-          window.setTimeout(() => {
-            self.renderMyUserInfo();
-          }, 0);
-        });
-      }
+      $('#myusernameedit').addClass('myusernameedithoverable');
+      setUpEditable($('#myusernameedit'), () => myUserInfo.name || '', (newValue) => {
+        myUserInfo.name = newValue;
+        pad.notifyChangeName(newValue);
+        // wrap with setTimeout to do later because we get
+        // a double "blur" fire in IE...
+        window.setTimeout(() => {
+          self.renderMyUserInfo();
+        }, 0);
+      });
 
       // color picker
       $('#myswatchbox').click(showColorPicker);
@@ -551,56 +529,6 @@ const paduserlist = (function () {
 
       self.updateNumberOfOnlineUsers();
     },
-    showGuestPrompt(userId, displayName) {
-      if (knocksToIgnore[userId]) {
-        return;
-      }
-
-      const encodedUserId = padutils.encodeUserId(userId);
-
-      const actionName = `hide-guest-prompt-${encodedUserId}`;
-      padutils.cancelActions(actionName);
-
-      let box = $(`#guestprompt-${encodedUserId}`);
-      if (box.length == 0) {
-        // make guest prompt box
-        box = $(`<div id="${padutils.escapeHtml(`guestprompt-${encodedUserId}`)}" class="guestprompt"><div class="choices"><a href="${padutils.escapeHtml(`javascript:void(require(${JSON.stringify(module.id)}).paduserlist.answerGuestPrompt(${JSON.stringify(encodedUserId)},false))`)}">${_('pad.userlist.deny')}</a> <a href="${padutils.escapeHtml(`javascript:void(require(${JSON.stringify(module.id)}).paduserlist.answerGuestPrompt(${JSON.stringify(encodedUserId)},true))`)}">${_('pad.userlist.approve')}</a></div><div class="guestname"><strong>${_('pad.userlist.guest')}:</strong> ${padutils.escapeHtml(displayName)}</div></div>`);
-        $('#guestprompts').append(box);
-      } else {
-        // update display name
-        box.find('.guestname').html(`<strong>${_('pad.userlist.guest')}:</strong> ${padutils.escapeHtml(displayName)}`);
-      }
-      const hideLater = padutils.getCancellableAction(actionName, () => {
-        self.removeGuestPrompt(userId);
-      });
-      window.setTimeout(hideLater, 15000); // time-out with no knock
-      guestPromptFlash.scheduleAnimation();
-    },
-    removeGuestPrompt(userId) {
-      const box = $(`#guestprompt-${padutils.encodeUserId(userId)}`);
-      // remove ID now so a new knock by same user gets new, unfaded box
-      box.removeAttr('id').fadeOut('fast', () => {
-        box.remove();
-      });
-
-      knocksToIgnore[userId] = true;
-      window.setTimeout(() => {
-        delete knocksToIgnore[userId];
-      }, 5000);
-    },
-    answerGuestPrompt(encodedUserId, approve) {
-      const guestId = padutils.decodeUserId(encodedUserId);
-
-      const msg = {
-        type: 'guestanswer',
-        authId: pad.getUserId(),
-        guestId,
-        answer: (approve ? 'approved' : 'denied'),
-      };
-      pad.sendClientMessage(msg);
-
-      self.removeGuestPrompt(guestId);
-    },
     renderMyUserInfo() {
       if (myUserInfo.name) {
         $('#myusernameedit').removeClass('editempty').val(myUserInfo.name);
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad_utils.js b/src/static/js/pad_utils.js
index f428da157..676029650 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad_utils.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad_utils.js
@@ -247,90 +247,6 @@ const padutils = {
     };
     return {scheduleAnimation};
   },
-  makeShowHideAnimator: (funcToArriveAtState, initiallyShown, fps, totalMs) => {
-    let animationState = (initiallyShown ? 0 : -2); // -2 hidden, -1 to 0 fade in, 0 to 1 fade out
-    const animationFrameDelay = 1000 / fps;
-    const animationStep = animationFrameDelay / totalMs;
-
-    const animateOneStep = () => {
-      if (animationState < -1 || animationState === 0) {
-        return false;
-      } else if (animationState < 0) {
-        // animate show
-        animationState += animationStep;
-        if (animationState >= 0) {
-          animationState = 0;
-          funcToArriveAtState(animationState);
-          return false;
-        } else {
-          funcToArriveAtState(animationState);
-          return true;
-        }
-      } else if (animationState > 0) {
-        // animate hide
-        animationState += animationStep;
-        if (animationState >= 1) {
-          animationState = 1;
-          funcToArriveAtState(animationState);
-          animationState = -2;
-          return false;
-        } else {
-          funcToArriveAtState(animationState);
-          return true;
-        }
-      }
-    };
-
-    const scheduleAnimation =
-        padutils.makeAnimationScheduler(animateOneStep, animationFrameDelay).scheduleAnimation;
-
-    return {
-      show: () => {
-        animationState = -1;
-        funcToArriveAtState(animationState);
-        scheduleAnimation();
-      },
-      quickShow: () => { // start showing without losing any fade-in progress
-        if (animationState < -1) {
-          animationState = -1;
-        } else if (animationState > 0) {
-          animationState = Math.max(-1, Math.min(0, -animationState));
-        }
-        funcToArriveAtState(animationState);
-        scheduleAnimation();
-      },
-      hide: () => {
-        if (animationState >= -1 && animationState <= 0) {
-          animationState = 1e-6;
-          scheduleAnimation();
-        }
-      },
-    };
-  },
-  _nextActionId: 1,
-  uncanceledActions: {},
-  getCancellableAction: (actionType, actionFunc) => {
-    let o = padutils.uncanceledActions[actionType];
-    if (!o) {
-      o = {};
-      padutils.uncanceledActions[actionType] = o;
-    }
-    const actionId = (padutils._nextActionId++);
-    o[actionId] = true;
-    return () => {
-      const p = padutils.uncanceledActions[actionType];
-      if (p && p[actionId]) {
-        actionFunc();
-      }
-    };
-  },
-  cancelActions: (actionType) => {
-    const o = padutils.uncanceledActions[actionType];
-    if (o) {
-      // clear it
-      delete padutils.uncanceledActions[actionType];
-    }
-  },
   makeFieldLabeledWhenEmpty: (field, labelText) => {
     field = $(field);
 
diff --git a/src/templates/pad.html b/src/templates/pad.html
index 5aa38f1a6..ca410154c 100644
--- a/src/templates/pad.html
+++ b/src/templates/pad.html
@@ -353,7 +353,6 @@
                 </div>
             </div>
             <div id="otherusers" aria-role="document">
-                <div id="guestprompts"></div>
                 <table id="otheruserstable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0">
                     <tr><td></td></tr>
                 </table>