diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendConfig.py b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendConfig.py
index b24a94d348..4bb6dd7857 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendConfig.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendConfig.py
@@ -1274,21 +1274,6 @@ class XendConfig(dict):
 
         return False
 
-    def device_remove(self, dev_uuid):
-        """Remove an existing device referred by dev_uuid.
-        """
-
-        if dev_uuid in self['devices']:
-            dev_config = self['devices'].get(dev_uuid)
-            dev_type = dev_config[0]
-
-            del self['devices'][dev_uuid]
-            # Remove dev references for certain device types (see device_add)
-            if dev_type in ('vif', 'vbd', 'vtpm'):
-                param = '%s_refs' % dev_type
-                if param in self:
-                    if dev_uuid in self[param]:
-                        self[param].remove(dev_uuid)
 
     def device_sxpr(self, dev_uuid = None, dev_type = None, dev_info = None):
         """Get Device SXPR by either giving the device UUID or (type, config).
diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py
index 4668f918c8..39d07b3645 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py
@@ -557,23 +557,7 @@ class XendDomainInfo:
                 return None
 
         log.debug("dev = %s", dev)
-
-        dev_control = self.getDeviceController(deviceClass)
-        dev_uuid = dev_control.readBackend(dev, 'uuid')
-
-        ret = None
-
-        try:
-            ret = dev_control.destroyDevice(dev, force)
-        except EnvironmentError:
-            # We failed to detach the device
-            raise VmError("Failed to detach device %d" % dev)
-
-        # update XendConfig
-        if dev_uuid:
-            self.info.device_remove(dev_uuid)
-
-        return ret
+        return self.getDeviceController(deviceClass).destroyDevice(dev, force)
 
     def getDeviceSxprs(self, deviceClass):
         if self._stateGet() in (DOM_STATE_RUNNING, DOM_STATE_PAUSED):
@@ -587,6 +571,7 @@ class XendDomainInfo:
                     dev_num += 1
             return sxprs
 
+
     def setMemoryTarget(self, target):
         """Set the memory target of this domain.
         @param target: In MiB.
diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xend/server/DevController.py b/tools/python/xen/xend/server/DevController.py
index 6984435385..c43ed2681b 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xend/server/DevController.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xend/server/DevController.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ from xen.xend.xenstore.xswatch import xswatch
 import os
 
 DEVICE_CREATE_TIMEOUT = 100
-DEVICE_DESTROY_TIMEOUT = 10
 HOTPLUG_STATUS_NODE = "hotplug-status"
 HOTPLUG_ERROR_NODE  = "hotplug-error"
 HOTPLUG_STATUS_ERROR = "error"
@@ -212,34 +211,17 @@ class DevController:
 
         devid = int(devid)
 
-        frontpath = self.frontendPath(devid)
-        if frontpath:
-            backpath = xstransact.Read(frontpath, "backend")
-
         # Modify online status /before/ updating state (latter is watched by
         # drivers, so this ordering avoids a race).
         self.writeBackend(devid, 'online', "0")
         self.writeBackend(devid, 'state', str(xenbusState['Closing']))
 
         if force:
+            frontpath = self.frontendPath(devid)
+            backpath = xstransact.Read(frontpath, "backend")
             if backpath:
                 xstransact.Remove(backpath)
-            if frontpath:
-                xstransact.Remove(frontpath)
-            return
-
-        # Wait till both frontpath and backpath are removed from
-        # xenstore, or timed out
-        if frontpath:
-            status = self.waitUntilDestroyed(frontpath)
-            if status == Timeout:
-                # Exception will be caught by destroyDevice in XendDomainInfo.py
-                raise EnvironmentError
-        if backpath:
-            status = self.waitUntilDestroyed(backpath)
-            if status == Timeout:
-                # Exception will be caught by destroyDevice in XendDomainInfo.py
-                raise EnvironmentError
+            xstransact.Remove(frontpath)
 
         self.vm._removeVm("device/%s/%d" % (self.deviceClass, devid))
 
@@ -526,16 +508,6 @@ class DevController:
             return (Missing, None)
 
 
-    def waitUntilDestroyed(self, path):
-       ev = Event()
-       result = { 'path': path, 'status': Timeout }
-
-       xswatch(path, destroyCallback, ev, result)
-
-       ev.wait(DEVICE_DESTROY_TIMEOUT)
-       return result['status']
-
-
     def backendPath(self, backdom, devid):
         """Construct backend path given the backend domain and device id.
 
@@ -565,18 +537,6 @@ class DevController:
                                       self.deviceClass)
 
 
-def destroyCallback(devPath, ev, result):
-    log.debug("destroyCallback %s.", devPath)
-
-    list = xstransact.List(result['path'])
-    if list:
-        return 1
-
-    result['status'] = Missing
-    ev.set()
-    log.debug("destroyCallback %s is destroyed", result['path'])
-    return 0
-
 def hotplugStatusCallback(statusPath, ev, result):
     log.debug("hotplugStatusCallback %s.", statusPath)