diff --git a/src/builtin_set.cpp b/src/builtin_set.cpp
index 34978f0d8..ffca47886 100644
--- a/src/builtin_set.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_set.cpp
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ static int builtin_set_erase(const wchar_t *cmd, set_cmd_opts_t &opts, int argc,
 
         int retval = STATUS_CMD_OK;
         if (split->indexes.empty()) {  // unset the var
-            retval = parser.vars().remove(split->varname, scope, nullptr);
+            retval = parser.vars().remove(split->varname, scope);
             // When a non-existent-variable is unset, return ENV_NOT_FOUND as $status
             // but do not emit any errors at the console as a compromise between user
             // friendliness and correctness.
diff --git a/src/env.cpp b/src/env.cpp
index c23ba1552..3282b8aa6 100644
--- a/src/env.cpp
+++ b/src/env.cpp
@@ -1322,8 +1322,7 @@ maybe_t<env_var_t> env_stack_t::get(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode)
 
 wcstring_list_t env_stack_t::get_names(int flags) const { return acquire_impl()->get_names(flags); }
 
-int env_stack_t::set(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring_list_t vals,
-                     std::vector<event_t> *out_events) {
+int env_stack_t::set(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring_list_t vals) {
     // Historical behavior.
     if (vals.size() == 1 && (key == L"PWD" || key == L"HOME")) {
         path_make_canonical(vals.front());
@@ -1345,9 +1344,6 @@ int env_stack_t::set(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring_list_t
         if (ret.global_modified || is_principal()) {
             env_dispatch_var_change(key, *this);
         }
-        if (out_events) {
-            out_events->push_back(event_t::variable(key, {L"VARIABLE", L"SET", key}));
-        }
     }
     // If the principal stack modified universal variables, then post a barrier.
     if (ret.uvar_modified && is_principal()) {
@@ -1356,28 +1352,23 @@ int env_stack_t::set(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring_list_t
     return ret.status;
 }
 
-int env_stack_t::set_one(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring val,
-                         std::vector<event_t> *out_events) {
+int env_stack_t::set_one(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring val) {
     wcstring_list_t vals;
     vals.push_back(std::move(val));
-    return set(key, mode, std::move(vals), out_events);
+    return set(key, mode, std::move(vals));
 }
 
-int env_stack_t::set_empty(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode,
-                           std::vector<event_t> *out_events) {
-    return set(key, mode, {}, out_events);
+int env_stack_t::set_empty(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode) {
+    return set(key, mode, {});
 }
 
-int env_stack_t::remove(const wcstring &key, int mode, std::vector<event_t> *out_events) {
+int env_stack_t::remove(const wcstring &key, int mode) {
     mod_result_t ret = acquire_impl()->remove(key, mode);
     if (ret.status == ENV_OK) {
         if (ret.global_modified || is_principal()) {
             // Important to not hold the lock here.
             env_dispatch_var_change(key, *this);
         }
-        if (out_events) {
-            out_events->push_back(event_t::variable(key, {L"VARIABLE", L"ERASE", key}));
-        }
     }
     if (ret.uvar_modified && is_principal()) {
         universal_barrier();
diff --git a/src/env.h b/src/env.h
index 208dda14a..595409e9a 100644
--- a/src/env.h
+++ b/src/env.h
@@ -231,18 +231,13 @@ class env_stack_t final : public environment_t {
     wcstring_list_t get_names(int flags) const override;
 
     /// Sets the variable with the specified name to the given values.
-    /// If \p out_events is supplied, populate it with any events generated through setting the
-    /// variable.
-    int set(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring_list_t vals,
-            std::vector<event_t> *out_events = nullptr);
+    int set(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring_list_t vals);
 
     /// Sets the variable with the specified name to a single value.
-    int set_one(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring val,
-                std::vector<event_t> *out_events = nullptr);
+    int set_one(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring val);
 
     /// Sets the variable with the specified name to no values.
-    int set_empty(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode,
-                  std::vector<event_t> *out_events = nullptr);
+    int set_empty(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode);
 
     /// Update the PWD variable based on the result of getcwd.
     void set_pwd_from_getcwd();
@@ -253,11 +248,9 @@ class env_stack_t final : public environment_t {
     /// \param mode should be ENV_USER if this is a remove request from the user, 0 otherwise. If
     /// this is a user request, read-only variables can not be removed. The mode may also specify
     /// the scope of the variable that should be erased.
-    /// \param out_events if non-null, populate it with any events generated from removing this
-    /// variable.
     ///
     /// \return zero if the variable existed, and non-zero if the variable did not exist
-    int remove(const wcstring &key, int mode, std::vector<event_t> *out_events = nullptr);
+    int remove(const wcstring &key, int mode);
 
     /// Push the variable stack. Used for implementing local variables for functions and for-loops.
     void push(bool new_scope);
diff --git a/src/parser.cpp b/src/parser.cpp
index 91373eaca..d44bdab18 100644
--- a/src/parser.cpp
+++ b/src/parser.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ parser_t &parser_t::principal_parser() {
 }
 
 int parser_t::set_var_and_fire(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t mode, wcstring_list_t vals) {
-    int res = vars().set(key, mode, std::move(vals), nullptr);
+    int res = vars().set(key, mode, std::move(vals));
     if (res == ENV_OK) {
         event_fire(*this, event_t::variable_set(key));
     }