diff --git a/src/wormhole/server/rendezvous.py b/src/wormhole/server/rendezvous.py
index 5b15cf4..f047bbc 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/server/rendezvous.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/server/rendezvous.py
@@ -138,9 +138,6 @@ class Mailbox:
             stop_f()
         self._app.free_mailbox(self._mailbox_id)
 
-    def is_active(self):
-        return bool(self._listeners)
-
     def _shutdown(self):
         # used at test shutdown to accelerate client disconnects
         for (send_f, stop_f) in self._listeners.values():
@@ -154,15 +151,6 @@ class AppNamespace:
         self._app_id = app_id
         self._mailboxes = {}
 
-    def is_active(self):
-        # An idle AppNamespace does not need to be kept in memory: it can be
-        # reconstructed from the DB if needed. And active one must be kept
-        # alive.
-        for mb in self._mailboxes.values():
-            if mb.is_active():
-                return True
-        return False
-
     def get_nameplate_ids(self):
         db = self._db
         # TODO: filter this to numeric ids?
@@ -558,10 +546,7 @@ class Rendezvous(service.MultiService):
             log.msg(" app prune checking %r" % (app_id,))
             app = self.get_app(app_id)
             app.prune(now, old)
-            if not app.is_active(): # meaning no websockets
-                log.msg(" pruning idle app", app_id)
-                self._apps.pop(app_id)
-        log.msg("app prune ends, %d remaining apps" % len(self._apps))
+        log.msg("app prune ends, %d apps" % len(self._apps))
 
     def stopService(self):
         # This forcibly boots any clients that are still connected, which
diff --git a/src/wormhole/test/test_server.py b/src/wormhole/test/test_server.py
index f91adb9..96f49d6 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/test/test_server.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/test/test_server.py
@@ -324,23 +324,6 @@ class Prune(unittest.TestCase):
         rv.prune_all_apps(now=123, old=122)
         self.assertEqual(app.prune.mock_calls, [mock.call(123, 122)])
 
-    def test_active(self):
-        rv = rendezvous.Rendezvous(get_db(":memory:"), None, None)
-        app = rv.get_app("appid1")
-        self.assertFalse(app.is_active())
-
-        mb = app.open_mailbox("mbid", "side1", 0)
-        self.assertFalse(mb.is_active())
-        self.assertFalse(app.is_active())
-
-        mb.add_listener("handle", None, None)
-        self.assertTrue(mb.is_active())
-        self.assertTrue(app.is_active())
-
-        mb.remove_listener("handle")
-        self.assertFalse(mb.is_active())
-        self.assertFalse(app.is_active())
-
     def test_nameplates(self):
         db = get_db(":memory:")
         rv = rendezvous.Rendezvous(db, None, 3600)