diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/AbstractChangeUpdate.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/AbstractChangeUpdate.java
index 046f2f7..626340f 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/AbstractChangeUpdate.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/AbstractChangeUpdate.java
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.server.InternalUser;
 import com.google.gwtorm.server.OrmException;
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.sql.Timestamp;
 import java.util.Date;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.CommitBuilder;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Config;
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@
   protected final Account.Id realAccountId;
   protected final PersonIdent authorIdent;
   protected final Date when;
-  private final long readOnlySkewMs;
 
   @Nullable private final ChangeNotes notes;
   private final Change change;
@@ -75,7 +73,6 @@
     this.realAccountId = realAccountId != null ? realAccountId : accountId;
     this.authorIdent = ident(noteUtil, serverIdent, user, when);
     this.when = when;
-    this.readOnlySkewMs = NoteDbChangeState.getReadOnlySkew(cfg);
   }
 
   protected AbstractChangeUpdate(
@@ -99,7 +96,6 @@
     this.realAccountId = realAccountId;
     this.authorIdent = authorIdent;
     this.when = when;
-    this.readOnlySkewMs = NoteDbChangeState.getReadOnlySkew(cfg);
   }
 
   private static void checkUserType(CurrentUser user) {
@@ -211,7 +207,6 @@
     }
 
     checkArgument(rw.getObjectReader().getCreatedFromInserter() == ins);
-    checkNotReadOnly();
 
     logger.atFinest().log(
         "%s for change %s of project %s in %s (NoteDb)",
@@ -244,18 +239,6 @@
     return result;
   }
 
-  protected void checkNotReadOnly() throws OrmException {
-    ChangeNotes notes = getNotes();
-    if (notes == null) {
-      // Can only happen during ChangeRebuilder, which will never include a read-only lease.
-      return;
-    }
-    Timestamp until = notes.getReadOnlyUntil();
-    if (until != null && NoteDbChangeState.timeForReadOnlyCheck(readOnlySkewMs).before(until)) {
-      throw new OrmException("change " + notes.getChangeId() + " is read-only until " + until);
-    }
-  }
-
   /**
    * Create a commit containing the contents of this update.
    *
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNoteUtil.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNoteUtil.java
index 8a0cabe..628dfd2 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNoteUtil.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNoteUtil.java
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
   public static final FooterKey FOOTER_PATCH_SET_DESCRIPTION =
       new FooterKey("Patch-set-description");
   public static final FooterKey FOOTER_PRIVATE = new FooterKey("Private");
-  public static final FooterKey FOOTER_READ_ONLY_UNTIL = new FooterKey("Read-only-until");
   public static final FooterKey FOOTER_REAL_USER = new FooterKey("Real-user");
   public static final FooterKey FOOTER_STATUS = new FooterKey("Status");
   public static final FooterKey FOOTER_SUBJECT = new FooterKey("Subject");
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotes.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotes.java
index acb6572..2717488 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotes.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotes.java
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@
 import com.google.inject.Provider;
 import com.google.inject.Singleton;
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.sql.Timestamp;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -501,11 +500,6 @@
         getPatchSets().get(psId), () -> String.format("missing current patch set %s", psId.get()));
   }
 
-  @VisibleForTesting
-  public Timestamp getReadOnlyUntil() {
-    return state.readOnlyUntil();
-  }
-
   @Override
   protected void onLoad(LoadHandle handle) throws NoSuchChangeException, IOException {
     ObjectId rev = handle.id();
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesCache.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesCache.java
index add5803..58f1166 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesCache.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesCache.java
@@ -170,7 +170,6 @@
           + list(state.changeMessages(), changeMessage())
           + P
           + map(state.publishedComments().asMap(), comment())
-          + T // readOnlyUntil
           + 1 // isPrivate
           + 1 // workInProgress
           + 1; // reviewStarted
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesParser.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesParser.java
index cbb7020..890febb 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesParser.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesParser.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_PATCH_SET;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_PATCH_SET_DESCRIPTION;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_PRIVATE;
-import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_READ_ONLY_UNTIL;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_REAL_USER;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_REVERT_OF;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_STATUS;
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.charset.Charset;
 import java.sql.Timestamp;
-import java.text.ParseException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -85,7 +83,6 @@
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Optional;
@@ -99,7 +96,6 @@
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.PersonIdent;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.notes.NoteMap;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.revwalk.FooterKey;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.util.GitDateParser;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.RawParseUtils;
 
 class ChangeNotesParser {
@@ -163,7 +159,6 @@
   private String submissionId;
   private String tag;
   private RevisionNoteMap<ChangeRevisionNote> revisionNoteMap;
-  private Timestamp readOnlyUntil;
   private Boolean isPrivate;
   private Boolean workInProgress;
   private Boolean previousWorkInProgressFooter;
@@ -266,7 +261,6 @@
         submitRecords,
         buildAllMessages(),
         comments,
-        readOnlyUntil,
         firstNonNull(isPrivate, false),
         firstNonNull(workInProgress, false),
         firstNonNull(hasReviewStarted, true),
@@ -401,10 +395,6 @@
       // behavior.
     }
 
-    if (readOnlyUntil == null) {
-      parseReadOnlyUntil(commit);
-    }
-
     if (isPrivate == null) {
       parseIsPrivate(commit);
     }
@@ -933,20 +923,6 @@
     }
   }
 
-  private void parseReadOnlyUntil(ChangeNotesCommit commit) throws ConfigInvalidException {
-    String raw = parseOneFooter(commit, FOOTER_READ_ONLY_UNTIL);
-    if (raw == null) {
-      return;
-    }
-    try {
-      readOnlyUntil = new Timestamp(GitDateParser.parse(raw, null, Locale.US).getTime());
-    } catch (ParseException e) {
-      ConfigInvalidException cie = invalidFooter(FOOTER_READ_ONLY_UNTIL, raw);
-      cie.initCause(e);
-      throw cie;
-    }
-  }
-
   private void parseIsPrivate(ChangeNotesCommit commit) throws ConfigInvalidException {
     String raw = parseOneFooter(commit, FOOTER_PRIVATE);
     if (raw == null) {
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesState.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesState.java
index 7ce7e66..52cd99f 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesState.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesState.java
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@
       List<SubmitRecord> submitRecords,
       List<ChangeMessage> changeMessages,
       ListMultimap<RevId, Comment> publishedComments,
-      @Nullable Timestamp readOnlyUntil,
       boolean isPrivate,
       boolean workInProgress,
       boolean reviewStarted,
@@ -168,7 +167,6 @@
         .submitRecords(submitRecords)
         .changeMessages(changeMessages)
         .publishedComments(publishedComments)
-        .readOnlyUntil(readOnlyUntil)
         .build();
   }
 
@@ -304,9 +302,6 @@
 
   abstract ImmutableListMultimap<RevId, Comment> publishedComments();
 
-  @Nullable
-  abstract Timestamp readOnlyUntil();
-
   Change newChange(Project.NameKey project) {
     ChangeColumns c = requireNonNull(columns(), "columns are required");
     Change change =
@@ -430,8 +425,6 @@
 
     abstract Builder publishedComments(ListMultimap<RevId, Comment> publishedComments);
 
-    abstract Builder readOnlyUntil(@Nullable Timestamp readOnlyUntil);
-
     abstract ChangeNotesState build();
   }
 
@@ -494,10 +487,6 @@
           .forEach(m -> b.addChangeMessage(toByteString(m, ChangeMessageProtoConverter.INSTANCE)));
       object.publishedComments().values().forEach(c -> b.addPublishedComment(GSON.toJson(c)));
 
-      if (object.readOnlyUntil() != null) {
-        b.setReadOnlyUntil(object.readOnlyUntil().getTime()).setHasReadOnlyUntil(true);
-      }
-
       return Protos.toByteArray(b.build());
     }
 
@@ -630,9 +619,6 @@
                       .stream()
                       .map(r -> GSON.fromJson(r, Comment.class))
                       .collect(toImmutableListMultimap(c -> new RevId(c.revId), c -> c)));
-      if (proto.getHasReadOnlyUntil()) {
-        b.readOnlyUntil(new Timestamp(proto.getReadOnlyUntil()));
-      }
       return b.build();
     }
 
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeUpdate.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeUpdate.java
index 837e093..3528f23 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeUpdate.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeUpdate.java
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_PATCH_SET;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_PATCH_SET_DESCRIPTION;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_PRIVATE;
-import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_READ_ONLY_UNTIL;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_REAL_USER;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_REVERT_OF;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNoteUtil.FOOTER_STATUS;
@@ -71,7 +70,6 @@
 import com.google.inject.assistedinject.Assisted;
 import com.google.inject.assistedinject.AssistedInject;
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.sql.Timestamp;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.Date;
@@ -152,7 +150,6 @@
   private boolean isAllowWriteToNewtRef;
   private String psDescription;
   private boolean currentPatchSet;
-  private Timestamp readOnlyUntil;
   private Boolean isPrivate;
   private Boolean workInProgress;
   private Integer revertOf;
@@ -730,10 +727,6 @@
       addIdent(msg, realAccountId).append('\n');
     }
 
-    if (readOnlyUntil != null) {
-      addFooter(msg, FOOTER_READ_ONLY_UNTIL, NoteDbUtil.formatTime(serverIdent, readOnlyUntil));
-    }
-
     if (isPrivate != null) {
       addFooter(msg, FOOTER_PRIVATE, isPrivate);
     }
@@ -793,7 +786,6 @@
         && tag == null
         && psDescription == null
         && !currentPatchSet
-        && readOnlyUntil == null
         && isPrivate == null
         && workInProgress == null
         && revertOf == null;
@@ -832,10 +824,6 @@
     this.workInProgress = workInProgress;
   }
 
-  void setReadOnlyUntil(Timestamp readOnlyUntil) {
-    this.readOnlyUntil = readOnlyUntil;
-  }
-
   private static StringBuilder addFooter(StringBuilder sb, FooterKey footer) {
     return sb.append(footer.getName()).append(": ");
   }
@@ -857,13 +845,4 @@
     sb.append('>');
     return sb;
   }
-
-  @Override
-  protected void checkNotReadOnly() throws OrmException {
-    // Allow setting Read-only-until to 0 to release an existing lease.
-    if (readOnlyUntil != null && readOnlyUntil.getTime() == 0) {
-      return;
-    }
-    super.checkNotReadOnly();
-  }
 }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesStateTest.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesStateTest.java
index 0ea1bea..2931b17 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesStateTest.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesStateTest.java
@@ -704,19 +704,6 @@
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void serializeReadOnlyUntil() throws Exception {
-    assertRoundTrip(
-        newBuilder().readOnlyUntil(new Timestamp(1212L)).build(),
-        ChangeNotesStateProto.newBuilder()
-            .setMetaId(SHA_BYTES)
-            .setChangeId(ID.get())
-            .setColumns(colsProto)
-            .setReadOnlyUntil(1212L)
-            .setHasReadOnlyUntil(true)
-            .build());
-  }
-
-  @Test
   public void changeNotesStateMethods() throws Exception {
     assertThatSerializedClass(ChangeNotesState.class)
         .hasAutoValueMethods(
@@ -746,7 +733,6 @@
                 .put(
                     "publishedComments",
                     new TypeLiteral<ImmutableListMultimap<RevId, Comment>>() {}.getType())
-                .put("readOnlyUntil", Timestamp.class)
                 .build());
   }
 
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java
index 033fb12..21443dc 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 package com.google.gerrit.server.notedb;
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
-import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assert_;
 import static com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.RefNames.changeMetaRef;
 import static com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.RefNames.refsDraftComments;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ReviewerStateInternal.CC;
@@ -54,14 +53,12 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNotesCommit.ChangeNotesRevWalk;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.util.time.TimeUtil;
 import com.google.gerrit.testing.TestChanges;
-import com.google.gerrit.testing.TestTimeUtil;
 import com.google.gwtorm.server.OrmException;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import java.sql.Timestamp;
 import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.ConfigInvalidException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
@@ -2760,76 +2757,6 @@
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void readOnlyUntilExpires() throws Exception {
-    Change c = newChange();
-    ChangeUpdate update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    Timestamp until = new Timestamp(TimeUtil.nowMs() + 10000);
-    update.setReadOnlyUntil(until);
-    update.commit();
-
-    update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    update.setTopic("failing-topic");
-    try {
-      update.commit();
-      assert_().fail("expected OrmException");
-    } catch (OrmException e) {
-      assertThat(e.getMessage()).contains("read-only until");
-    }
-
-    ChangeNotes notes = newNotes(c);
-    assertThat(notes.getChange().getTopic()).isNotEqualTo("failing-topic");
-    assertThat(notes.getReadOnlyUntil()).isEqualTo(until);
-
-    TestTimeUtil.incrementClock(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
-    update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    update.setTopic("succeeding-topic");
-    update.commit();
-
-    // Write succeeded; lease still exists, even though it's expired.
-    notes = newNotes(c);
-    assertThat(notes.getChange().getTopic()).isEqualTo("succeeding-topic");
-    assertThat(notes.getReadOnlyUntil()).isEqualTo(until);
-
-    // New lease takes precedence.
-    update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    until = new Timestamp(TimeUtil.nowMs() + 10000);
-    update.setReadOnlyUntil(until);
-    update.commit();
-    assertThat(newNotes(c).getReadOnlyUntil()).isEqualTo(until);
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void readOnlyUntilCleared() throws Exception {
-    Change c = newChange();
-    ChangeUpdate update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    Timestamp until = new Timestamp(TimeUtil.nowMs() + TimeUnit.DAYS.toMillis(30));
-    update.setReadOnlyUntil(until);
-    update.commit();
-
-    update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    update.setTopic("failing-topic");
-    try {
-      update.commit();
-      assert_().fail("expected OrmException");
-    } catch (OrmException e) {
-      assertThat(e.getMessage()).contains("read-only until");
-    }
-
-    // Sentinel timestamp of 0 can be written to clear lease.
-    update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    update.setReadOnlyUntil(new Timestamp(0));
-    update.commit();
-
-    update = newUpdate(c, changeOwner);
-    update.setTopic("succeeding-topic");
-    update.commit();
-
-    ChangeNotes notes = newNotes(c);
-    assertThat(notes.getChange().getTopic()).isEqualTo("succeeding-topic");
-    assertThat(notes.getReadOnlyUntil()).isEqualTo(new Timestamp(0));
-  }
-
-  @Test
   public void privateDefault() throws Exception {
     Change c = newChange();
     ChangeNotes notes = newNotes(c);
diff --git a/proto/cache.proto b/proto/cache.proto
index c2ac0d9..52f5e1c 100644
--- a/proto/cache.proto
+++ b/proto/cache.proto
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@
   // JSON produced from com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.Comment.
   repeated string published_comment = 16;
 
-  int64 read_only_until = 17;
-  bool has_read_only_until = 18;
+  reserved 17;  // read_only_until
+  reserved 18;  // has_read_only_until
 }