diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1ffde2257..84fce9048 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -128,33 +128,6 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CALENDAR_SERVER, libecal-1.2 >= $LIBECAL_MIN_VERSION libedatas
 AC_SUBST(CALENDAR_SERVER_CFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(CALENDAR_SERVER_LIBS)
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(systemd,
-            AS_HELP_STRING([--with-systemd],
-                           [Add systemd support]),
-            [with_systemd=$withval], [with_systemd=auto])
-
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES(SYSTEMD,
-                  [libsystemd-login libsystemd-daemon],
-                  [have_systemd=yes], [have_systemd=no])
-
-if test "x$with_systemd" = "xauto" ; then
-        if test x$have_systemd = xno ; then
-                use_systemd=no
-        else
-                use_systemd=yes
-        fi
-else
-        use_systemd=$with_systemd
-fi
-
-if test "x$use_systemd" = "xyes"; then
-        if test "x$have_systemd" = "xno"; then
-                AC_MSG_ERROR([Systemd support explicitly required, but systemd not found])
-        fi
-
-        AC_DEFINE(WITH_SYSTEMD, 1, [systemd support])
-fi
-
 GNOME_KEYBINDINGS_KEYSDIR=`$PKG_CONFIG --variable keysdir gnome-keybindings`
 AC_SUBST([GNOME_KEYBINDINGS_KEYSDIR])
 
diff --git a/js/misc/loginManager.js b/js/misc/loginManager.js
index 7fc189f70..d1c7bd9bf 100644
--- a/js/misc/loginManager.js
+++ b/js/misc/loginManager.js
@@ -51,12 +51,6 @@ const ConsoleKitManagerIface = <interface name='org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Manag
 </interface>;
 
 const ConsoleKitSessionIface = <interface name='org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Session'>
-<method name='IsActive'>
-    <arg type='b' direction='out' />
-</method>
-<signal name='ActiveChanged'>
-    <arg type='b' direction='out' />
-</signal>
 <signal name='Lock' />
 <signal name='Unlock' />
 </interface>;
@@ -109,10 +103,6 @@ const LoginManagerSystemd = new Lang.Class({
         return this._currentSession;
     },
 
-    get sessionActive() {
-        return Shell.session_is_active_for_systemd();
-    },
-
     canPowerOff: function(asyncCallback) {
         this._proxy.CanPowerOffRemote(function(result, error) {
             if (error)
@@ -177,19 +167,6 @@ const LoginManagerConsoleKit = new Lang.Class({
         return this._currentSession;
     },
 
-    get sessionActive() {
-        if (this._sessionActive !== undefined)
-            return this._sessionActive;
-
-        let session = this.getCurrentSessionProxy();
-        session.connectSignal('ActiveChanged', Lang.bind(this, function(object, senderName, [isActive]) {
-            this._sessionActive = isActive;
-        }));
-        [this._sessionActive] = session.IsActiveSync();
-
-        return this._sessionActive;
-    },
-
     canPowerOff: function(asyncCallback) {
         this._proxy.CanStopRemote(function(result, error) {
             if (error)
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 4dbff6988..b3b9d40a2 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ include Makefile-hotplug-sniffer.am
 
 gnome_shell_cflags =				\
 	$(GNOME_SHELL_CFLAGS)			\
-	$(SYSTEMD_CFLAGS)                       \
 	-I$(srcdir)/tray			\
 	-DVERSION=\"$(VERSION)\"		\
 	-DLOCALEDIR=\"$(datadir)/locale\" 	\
@@ -282,7 +281,6 @@ libgnome_shell_la_LDFLAGS = -avoid-version
 libgnome_shell_la_LIBADD =		\
 	-lm			\
 	$(GNOME_SHELL_LIBS)	\
-	$(SYSTEMD_LIBS)         \
 	$(BLUETOOTH_LIBS)	\
 	libst-1.0.la       	\
 	libtray.la		\
diff --git a/src/shell-util.c b/src/shell-util.c
index 3821b3aff..0f19efcf3 100644
--- a/src/shell-util.c
+++ b/src/shell-util.c
@@ -14,11 +14,6 @@
 #include <langinfo.h>
 #endif
 
-#ifdef WITH_SYSTEMD
-#include <systemd/sd-daemon.h>
-#include <systemd/sd-login.h>
-#endif
-
 static void
 stop_pick (ClutterActor       *actor,
            const ClutterColor *color)
@@ -355,29 +350,6 @@ shell_get_file_contents_utf8_sync (const char *path,
   return contents;
 }
 
-/**
- * shell_session_is_active_for_systemd:
- *
- * Checks whether the session we are running in is currently active,
- * i.e. in the foreground and ready for user input.
- *
- * Returns: TRUE if session is active
- */
-gboolean
-shell_session_is_active_for_systemd (void)
-{
-  /* If this isn't systemd, let's assume the session is active. */
-
-#ifdef WITH_SYSTEMD
-  if (sd_booted () <= 0)
-    return TRUE;
-
-  return sd_session_is_active (NULL) != 0;
-#else
-  return TRUE;
-#endif
-}
-
 /**
  * shell_util_wifexited:
  * @status: the status returned by wait() or waitpid()
diff --git a/src/shell-util.h b/src/shell-util.h
index 41ba96f4a..6fc2a5db0 100644
--- a/src/shell-util.h
+++ b/src/shell-util.h
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ gboolean shell_write_string_to_stream          (GOutputStream    *stream,
 char    *shell_get_file_contents_utf8_sync     (const char       *path,
                                                 GError          **error);
 
-gboolean shell_session_is_active_for_systemd (void);
-
 gboolean shell_util_wifexited                  (int               status,
                                                 int              *exit);