diff --git a/src/dask_awkward/layers/layers.py b/src/dask_awkward/layers/layers.py
index 03608e59..ecc208bf 100644
--- a/src/dask_awkward/layers/layers.py
+++ b/src/dask_awkward/layers/layers.py
@@ -177,12 +177,6 @@ def project(
             annotations=self.annotations,
         )
 
-    def necessary_columns(self, report: TypeTracerReport, state: T) -> frozenset[str]:
-        assert self.is_columnar
-        return cast(ImplementsNecessaryColumns, self.io_func).necessary_columns(
-            report=report, state=state
-        )
-
 
 class AwkwardMaterializedLayer(MaterializedLayer):
     def __init__(
diff --git a/src/dask_awkward/lib/io/columnar.py b/src/dask_awkward/lib/io/columnar.py
index a21b8b10..7268b816 100644
--- a/src/dask_awkward/lib/io/columnar.py
+++ b/src/dask_awkward/lib/io/columnar.py
@@ -6,23 +6,13 @@
 import awkward as ak
 from awkward import Array as AwkwardArray
 from awkward.forms import Form
-from awkward.typetracer import typetracer_from_form, typetracer_with_report
 
 from dask_awkward.layers.layers import (
     BackendT,
     ImplementsIOFunction,
     ImplementsNecessaryColumns,
 )
-from dask_awkward.lib.utils import (
-    METADATA_ATTRIBUTES,
-    FormStructure,
-    buffer_keys_required_to_compute_shapes,
-    form_with_unique_keys,
-    parse_buffer_key,
-    render_buffer_key,
-    trace_form_structure,
-    walk_graph_depth_first,
-)
+from dask_awkward.lib.utils import METADATA_ATTRIBUTES, FormStructure
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from awkward._nplikes.typetracer import TypeTracerReport
@@ -60,6 +50,7 @@ class ColumnProjectionMixin(ImplementsNecessaryColumns[FormStructure]):
     """
 
     def mock_empty(self: S, backend: BackendT = "cpu") -> AwkwardArray:
+        # used by failure report generation
         return cast(
             AwkwardArray,
             ak.to_backend(
@@ -68,86 +59,3 @@ def mock_empty(self: S, backend: BackendT = "cpu") -> AwkwardArray:
                 highlevel=True,
             ),
         )
-
-    def necessary_columns(
-        self: S,
-        report: TypeTracerReport,
-        state: FormStructure,
-    ) -> frozenset[str]:
-        ## Read from stash
-        # Form hierarchy information
-        form_key_to_parent_form_key = state["form_key_to_parent_form_key"]
-        form_key_to_child_form_keys: dict[str, list[str]] = {}
-        for child_key, parent_key in form_key_to_parent_form_key.items():
-            form_key_to_child_form_keys.setdefault(parent_key, []).append(child_key)  # type: ignore
-        form_key_to_form = state["form_key_to_form"]
-        # Buffer hierarchy information
-        form_key_to_buffer_keys = state["form_key_to_buffer_keys"]
-        # Column hierarchy information
-        form_key_to_path = state["form_key_to_path"]
-
-        # Require the data of metadata buffers above shape-only requests
-        data_buffers = {
-            *report.data_touched,
-            *buffer_keys_required_to_compute_shapes(
-                parse_buffer_key,
-                report.shape_touched,
-                form_key_to_parent_form_key,
-                form_key_to_buffer_keys,
-            ),
-        }
-
-        # We can't read buffers directly, but if we encounter a metadata
-        # buffer, then we should be able to pick any child.
-        paths = set()
-        wildcard_form_key = set()
-        for buffer_key in data_buffers:
-            form_key, attribute = parse_buffer_key(buffer_key)
-            if attribute in METADATA_ATTRIBUTES:
-                wildcard_form_key.add(form_key)
-            else:
-                paths.add(form_key_to_path[form_key])
-
-        # Select the most appropriate column for each wildcard
-        for form_key in wildcard_form_key:
-            # Find (DFS) any non-empty record form in any child
-            recursive_child_forms = (
-                form_key_to_form[k]
-                for k in walk_graph_depth_first(form_key, form_key_to_child_form_keys)
-            )
-            record_form_keys_with_contents = (
-                f.form_key
-                for f in recursive_child_forms
-                if isinstance(f, ak.forms.RecordForm) and f.contents
-            )
-            # Now find the deepest of such records
-            try:
-                last_record_form_key = next(record_form_keys_with_contents)
-            except StopIteration:
-                # This is a leaf! Therefore, we read this column
-                paths.add(form_key_to_path[form_key])
-                continue
-            else:
-                # Ensure we get the "actual" last form key
-                for last_record_form_key in record_form_keys_with_contents:
-                    ...
-
-            # First see if any child is already included
-            for any_child_form_key in form_key_to_child_form_keys[last_record_form_key]:
-                any_child_path = form_key_to_path[any_child_form_key]
-                if any_child_path in paths:
-                    break
-            # Otherwise, add the last child
-            else:
-                paths.add(any_child_path)
-        return frozenset({".".join(p) for p in paths if p})
-
-    def project(
-        self: S,
-        report: TypeTracerReport,
-        state: FormStructure,
-    ) -> ImplementsIOFunction:
-        if not self.use_optimization:  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
-            return self
-
-        return self.project_columns(self.necessary_columns(report, state))
diff --git a/src/dask_awkward/lib/optimize.py b/src/dask_awkward/lib/optimize.py
index 4dcde735..cc792db6 100644
--- a/src/dask_awkward/lib/optimize.py
+++ b/src/dask_awkward/lib/optimize.py
@@ -254,9 +254,3 @@ def _recursive_replace(args, layer, parent, indices):
         else:
             args2.append(arg)
     return args2
-
-
-def _buffer_keys_for_layer(
-    buffer_keys: Iterable[str], known_buffer_keys: frozenset[str]
-) -> set[str]:
-    return {k for k in buffer_keys if k in known_buffer_keys}
diff --git a/src/dask_awkward/lib/testutils.py b/src/dask_awkward/lib/testutils.py
index e47d5c8d..3dee6d36 100644
--- a/src/dask_awkward/lib/testutils.py
+++ b/src/dask_awkward/lib/testutils.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 import awkward as ak
 import numpy as np
-from awkward.typetracer import typetracer_from_form
 from dask.base import is_dask_collection
 from packaging.version import Version