diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/ImmutableObject.java b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/ImmutableObject.java
index 4efe5ef53..224e242a5 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/ImmutableObject.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/ImmutableObject.java
@@ -51,15 +51,6 @@ public abstract class ImmutableObject implements Cloneable {
   @Target(FIELD)
   public @interface DoNotHydrate {}
 
-  /**
-   * Indicates that the field stores a null value to indicate an empty set. This is also used in
-   * object comparison.
-   */
-  @Documented
-  @Retention(RUNTIME)
-  @Target(FIELD)
-  public @interface EmptySetToNull {}
-
   /**
    * Indicates that the field does not take part in the immutability contract.
    *
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainBase.java b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainBase.java
index ef2ba1a41..961a5c3a1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainBase.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainBase.java
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public class DomainBase extends EppResource
   String tld;
 
   /** References to hosts that are the nameservers for the domain. */
-  @EmptySetToNull @Transient Set<VKey<Host>> nsHosts;
+  @Transient Set<VKey<Host>> nsHosts;
 
   /** Contacts. */
   VKey<Contact> adminContact;
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainHistory.java b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainHistory.java
index a3c3141cb..182a2b7f2 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainHistory.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/model/domain/DomainHistory.java
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ public class DomainHistory extends HistoryEntry {
               columnList =
                   "domain_history_history_revision_id,domain_history_domain_repo_id,host_repo_id",
               unique = true))
-  @EmptySetToNull
   @Column(name = "host_repo_id")
   Set<VKey<Host>> nsHosts;
 
@@ -160,7 +159,6 @@ public class DomainHistory extends HistoryEntry {
   @OneToMany(cascade = CascadeType.ALL, fetch = FetchType.EAGER, orphanRemoval = true)
   @JoinColumn(name = "historyRevisionId", referencedColumnName = "historyRevisionId")
   @JoinColumn(name = "domainRepoId", referencedColumnName = "domainRepoId")
-  @EmptySetToNull
   Set<DomainTransactionRecord> domainTransactionRecords;
 
   public Set<DomainTransactionRecord> getDomainTransactionRecords() {
diff --git a/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/CollectionUtils.java b/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/CollectionUtils.java
index 68bcfd6b1..2fdc9a70e 100644
--- a/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/CollectionUtils.java
+++ b/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/CollectionUtils.java
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ public class CollectionUtils {
    * Turns an empty collection into a null collection.
    *
    * <p>This is unwise in the general case (nulls are bad; empties are good) but occasionally needed
-   * to cause JAXB not to emit a field, or to avoid saving something to Datastore. The method name
-   * includes "force" to indicate that you should think twice before using it.
+   * to cause JAXB not to emit a field. The method name includes "force" to indicate that you should
+   * think twice before using it.
    */
   @Nullable
   public static <T, C extends Collection<T>> C forceEmptyToNull(@Nullable C potentiallyEmpty) {