diff --git a/backend/local/hook_state.go b/backend/local/hook_state.go
index 62e33416ec03..5483c4344ffb 100644
--- a/backend/local/hook_state.go
+++ b/backend/local/hook_state.go
@@ -2,27 +2,17 @@ package local
 
 import (
 	"sync"
-	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 )
 
-// interval between forced PersistState calls by StateHook
-const persistStateHookInterval = 10 * time.Second
-
 // StateHook is a hook that continuously updates the state by calling
 // WriteState on a state.State.
 type StateHook struct {
 	terraform.NilHook
 	sync.Mutex
 
-	// lastPersist is the time of the last call to PersistState, for periodic
-	// updates to remote state. PostStateUpdate will force a call PersistState
-	// if it has been more that persistStateHookInterval since the last call to
-	// PersistState.
-	lastPersist time.Time
-
 	State state.State
 }
 
@@ -36,24 +26,8 @@ func (h *StateHook) PostStateUpdate(
 		if err := h.State.WriteState(s); err != nil {
 			return terraform.HookActionHalt, err
 		}
-
-		// periodically persist the state
-		if time.Since(h.lastPersist) > persistStateHookInterval {
-			if err := h.persistState(); err != nil {
-				return terraform.HookActionHalt, err
-			}
-		}
 	}
 
 	// Continue forth
 	return terraform.HookActionContinue, nil
 }
-
-func (h *StateHook) persistState() error {
-	if h.State != nil {
-		err := h.State.PersistState()
-		h.lastPersist = time.Now()
-		return err
-	}
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/backend/local/hook_state_test.go b/backend/local/hook_state_test.go
index 1614942d60be..7f4d887703eb 100644
--- a/backend/local/hook_state_test.go
+++ b/backend/local/hook_state_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 package local
 
 import (
-	"sync"
 	"testing"
-	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
@@ -29,98 +27,3 @@ func TestStateHook(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad state: %#v", is.State())
 	}
 }
-
-// testPersistState stores the state on WriteState, and
-type testPersistState struct {
-	*state.InmemState
-
-	mu        sync.Mutex
-	persisted bool
-}
-
-func (s *testPersistState) WriteState(state *terraform.State) error {
-	s.mu.Lock()
-	defer s.mu.Unlock()
-
-	s.persisted = false
-	return s.InmemState.WriteState(state)
-}
-
-func (s *testPersistState) PersistState() error {
-	s.mu.Lock()
-	defer s.mu.Unlock()
-
-	s.persisted = true
-	return nil
-}
-
-// verify that StateHook calls PersistState if the last call was more than
-// persistStateHookInterval
-func TestStateHookPersist(t *testing.T) {
-	is := &testPersistState{
-		InmemState: &state.InmemState{},
-	}
-	hook := &StateHook{State: is}
-
-	s := state.TestStateInitial()
-	hook.PostStateUpdate(s)
-
-	// the first call should persist, since the last time was zero
-	if !is.persisted {
-		t.Fatal("PersistState not called")
-	}
-
-	s.Serial++
-	hook.PostStateUpdate(s)
-
-	// this call should not have persisted
-	if is.persisted {
-		t.Fatal("PostStateUpdate called PersistState early")
-	}
-
-	if !is.State().Equal(s) {
-		t.Fatalf("bad state: %#v", is.State())
-	}
-
-	// set the last call back to before our interval
-	hook.lastPersist = time.Now().Add(-2 * persistStateHookInterval)
-
-	s.Serial++
-	hook.PostStateUpdate(s)
-
-	if !is.persisted {
-		t.Fatal("PersistState not called")
-	}
-
-	if !is.State().Equal(s) {
-		t.Fatalf("bad state: %#v", is.State())
-	}
-}
-
-// verify that the satet hook is safe for concurrent use
-func TestStateHookRace(t *testing.T) {
-	is := &state.InmemState{}
-	var hook terraform.Hook = &StateHook{State: is}
-
-	s := state.TestStateInitial()
-
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-
-	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
-		wg.Add(1)
-		go func() {
-			defer wg.Done()
-			action, err := hook.PostStateUpdate(s)
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
-			}
-			if action != terraform.HookActionContinue {
-				t.Fatalf("bad: %v", action)
-			}
-			if !is.State().Equal(s) {
-				t.Fatalf("bad state: %#v", is.State())
-			}
-		}()
-	}
-	wg.Wait()
-}