diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_email.py b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_email.py
index 88c4183800..9033a00fba 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_email.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_email.py
@@ -85,15 +85,6 @@ class ActivationEmailTests(TestCase):
         )
     ]
 
-    # Text fragments we expect in the body of an email
-    # sent from an EdX-controlled domain.
-    EDX_DOMAIN_FRAGMENTS = [
-        u"Thank you for creating an account with {platform}!".format(platform=settings.PLATFORM_NAME),
-        "http://edx.org/activate/",
-        "https://www.edx.org/contact-us",
-        "This email message was automatically sent by edx.org"
-    ]
-
     def test_activation_email(self):
         self._create_account()
         self._assert_activation_email(self.ACTIVATION_SUBJECT, self.OPENEDX_FRAGMENTS)
@@ -101,7 +92,7 @@ class ActivationEmailTests(TestCase):
     @with_comprehensive_theme("edx.org")
     def test_activation_email_edx_domain(self):
         self._create_account()
-        self._assert_activation_email(self.ACTIVATION_SUBJECT, self.EDX_DOMAIN_FRAGMENTS)
+        self._assert_activation_email(self.ACTIVATION_SUBJECT, self.OPENEDX_FRAGMENTS)
 
     def _create_account(self):
         """Create an account, triggering the activation email. """
diff --git a/themes/edx.org/lms/templates/emails/activation_email.txt b/themes/edx.org/lms/templates/emails/activation_email.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index b916c3ca93..0000000000
--- a/themes/edx.org/lms/templates/emails/activation_email.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-<%! from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _ %>
-${_("Thank you for creating an account with {platform_name}!").format(platform_name=settings.PLATFORM_NAME)}
-${_("There's just one more step before you can enroll in a course: "
-    "You need to activate your {platform_name} account. To activate "
-    "your account, click the following link. If that doesn't work, "
-    "copy and paste the link into your browser's address bar.").format(
-      platform_name=settings.PLATFORM_NAME
-    )}
-
-% if is_secure:
-  https://${ site }/activate/${ key }
-% else:
-  http://${ site }/activate/${ key }
-% endif
-
-${_("After you activate your account, you can take "
-    "any of the hundreds of courses {platform_name} "
-    "offers. You will receive occasional email "
-    "messages from {platform_name} about new courses "
-    "or other information."
-  ).format(platform_name=settings.PLATFORM_NAME)}
-
-${_("If you need help, please use our web form at "
-    "{contact_us_url}, email {info_email_address}, "
-    "or write to {info_postal_address}."
-  ).format(
-    contact_us_url="https://www.edx.org/contact-us",
-    info_email_address=settings.CONTACT_EMAIL,
-    info_postal_address=settings.CONTACT_MAILING_ADDRESS
-  )}
-
-${_("We hope you enjoy learning with {platform_name}!").format(
-    platform_name=settings.PLATFORM_NAME
-)}
-
-${_("The {platform_name} Team").format(platform_name=settings.PLATFORM_NAME)}
-
-${_("This email message was automatically sent by {site_name} because "
-     "someone attempted to create an account on {platform_name} using "
-     "this email address."
-    ).format(
-      site_name=settings.SITE_NAME,
-      platform_name=settings.PLATFORM_NAME
-    )}