diff --git a/src/Expr.cc b/src/Expr.cc
index 77466f2a55..dbfca7c9cb 100644
--- a/src/Expr.cc
+++ b/src/Expr.cc
@@ -2611,7 +2611,6 @@ Val* AssignExpr::Eval(Frame* f) const
 	if ( v )
 		{
 		op1->Assign(f, v);
-		//### op1->SetAttribs();
 		return val ? val->Ref() : v->Ref();
 		}
 	else
@@ -3062,13 +3061,6 @@ FieldExpr::FieldExpr(Expr* arg_op, const char* arg_field_name)
 	if ( IsError() )
 		return;
 
-	if ( streq(arg_field_name, "attr") )
-		{
-		field = -1;
-		SetType(op->Type()->AttributesType()->Ref());
-		return;
-		}
-
 	if ( ! IsRecord(op->Type()->Tag()) )
 		ExprError("not a record");
 	else
@@ -3106,12 +3098,7 @@ void FieldExpr::Assign(Frame* f, Val* v, Opcode opcode)
 		return;
 
 	if ( field < 0 )
-		{
-		Val* lhs = op->Eval(f);
-		lhs->SetAttribs(v->AsRecordVal());
-		Unref(lhs);
-		return;
-		}
+		ExprError("no such field in record");
 
 	Val* op_v = op->Eval(f);
 	if ( op_v )
@@ -3124,9 +3111,6 @@ void FieldExpr::Assign(Frame* f, Val* v, Opcode opcode)
 
 Val* FieldExpr::Fold(Val* v) const
 	{
-	if ( field < 0 )
-		return v->GetAttribs(true)->Ref();
-
 	Val* result = v->AsRecordVal()->Lookup(field);
 	if ( result )
 		return result->Ref();
@@ -3179,24 +3163,20 @@ bool FieldExpr::DoUnserialize(UnserialInfo* info)
 	return td != 0;
 	}
 
-HasFieldExpr::HasFieldExpr(Expr* arg_op, const char* arg_field_name,
-			   bool arg_is_attr)
+HasFieldExpr::HasFieldExpr(Expr* arg_op, const char* arg_field_name)
 : UnaryExpr(EXPR_HAS_FIELD, arg_op)
 	{
 	field_name = arg_field_name;
-	is_attr = arg_is_attr;
 	field = 0;
 
 	if ( IsError() )
 		return;
 
-	if ( ! is_attr && ! IsRecord(op->Type()->Tag()) )
+	if ( ! IsRecord(op->Type()->Tag()) )
 		ExprError("not a record");
 	else
 		{
-		RecordType* rt = is_attr ?
-					op->Type()->AttributesType() :
-					op->Type()->AsRecordType();
+		RecordType* rt = op->Type()->AsRecordType();
 		field = rt->FieldOffset(field_name);
 
 		if ( field < 0 )
@@ -3215,10 +3195,7 @@ Val* HasFieldExpr::Fold(Val* v) const
 	{
 	RecordVal* rec_to_look_at;
 
-	if ( is_attr )
-		rec_to_look_at = v->GetAttribs(false);
-	else
-		rec_to_look_at = v->AsRecordVal();
+	rec_to_look_at = v->AsRecordVal();
 
 	if ( ! rec_to_look_at )
 		return new Val(0, TYPE_BOOL);
@@ -3235,12 +3212,7 @@ void HasFieldExpr::ExprDescribe(ODesc* d) const
 	op->Describe(d);
 
 	if ( d->IsReadable() )
-		{
-		if ( is_attr )
-			d->Add("?$$");
-		else
-			d->Add("?$");
-		}
+		d->Add("?$");
 
 	if ( IsError() )
 		d->Add("<error>");
@@ -3255,13 +3227,17 @@ IMPLEMENT_SERIAL(HasFieldExpr, SER_HAS_FIELD_EXPR);
 bool HasFieldExpr::DoSerialize(SerialInfo* info) const
 	{
 	DO_SERIALIZE(SER_HAS_FIELD_EXPR, UnaryExpr);
-	return SERIALIZE(is_attr) && SERIALIZE(field_name) && SERIALIZE(field);
+
+	// Serialize the former "bool is_attr" first for backwards compatibility.
+	return SERIALIZE(false) && SERIALIZE(field_name) && SERIALIZE(field);
 	}
 
 bool HasFieldExpr::DoUnserialize(UnserialInfo* info)
 	{
 	DO_UNSERIALIZE(UnaryExpr);
-	return UNSERIALIZE(&is_attr) && UNSERIALIZE_STR(&field_name, 0) && UNSERIALIZE(&field);
+	// Unserialize the former "bool is_attr" first for backwards compatibility.
+	bool not_used;
+	return UNSERIALIZE(&not_used) && UNSERIALIZE_STR(&field_name, 0) && UNSERIALIZE(&field);
 	}
 
 RecordConstructorExpr::RecordConstructorExpr(ListExpr* constructor_list)
@@ -3507,8 +3483,6 @@ Val* SetConstructorExpr::Eval(Frame* f) const
 		aggr->Assign(element, 0);
 		}
 
-	aggr->AsTableVal()->SetAttrs(attrs);
-
 	return aggr;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/Expr.h b/src/Expr.h
index c078d4651c..9c338a0f8a 100644
--- a/src/Expr.h
+++ b/src/Expr.h
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ protected:
 // "rec?$$attrname" is true if the attribute attrname is not nil.
 class HasFieldExpr : public UnaryExpr {
 public:
-	HasFieldExpr(Expr* op, const char* field_name, bool is_attr);
+	HasFieldExpr(Expr* op, const char* field_name);
 	~HasFieldExpr();
 
 protected:
diff --git a/src/Type.cc b/src/Type.cc
index 1f5c22d58b..55794dfce5 100644
--- a/src/Type.cc
+++ b/src/Type.cc
@@ -10,20 +10,6 @@
 #include "Scope.h"
 #include "Serializer.h"
 
-RecordType* init_global_attrs();
-
-bool in_global_attr_decl = false;
-RecordType* global_attributes_type = init_global_attrs();
-
-RecordType* init_global_attrs()
-	{
-	in_global_attr_decl = true;
-	RecordType* rt = new RecordType(new type_decl_list);
-	in_global_attr_decl = false;
-	rt->MakeGlobalAttributeType();
-	return rt;
-	}
-
 const char* type_name(TypeTag t)
 	{
 	static char errbuf[512];
@@ -58,7 +44,6 @@ BroType::BroType(TypeTag t, bool arg_base_type)
 	tag = t;
 	is_network_order = 0;
 	base_type = arg_base_type;
-	is_global_attributes_type = false;
 
 	switch ( tag ) {
 	case TYPE_VOID:
@@ -118,28 +103,6 @@ BroType::BroType(TypeTag t, bool arg_base_type)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	// Kind of hacky; we don't want an error while we're defining
-	// the global attrs!
-	if ( in_global_attr_decl )
-		{
-		attributes_type = 0;
-		return;
-		}
-
-	if ( ! global_attributes_type )
-		SetError();
-	else
-		attributes_type = global_attributes_type;
-	}
-
-bool BroType::SetAttributesType(type_decl_list* attr_types)
-	{
-	TypeList* global = new TypeList();
-	global->Append(global_attributes_type);
-
-	attributes_type = refine_type(global, attr_types)->AsRecordType();
-
-	return (attributes_type != 0);
 	}
 
 int BroType::MatchesIndex(ListExpr*& /* index */) const
@@ -241,16 +204,6 @@ BroType* BroType::Unserialize(UnserialInfo* info, TypeTag want)
 		return t2;
 		}
 
-	// For the global_attribute_type, we also return our current instance.
-	if ( t->is_global_attributes_type )
-		{
-		BroType* t2 = global_attributes_type;
-		Unref(t);
-		t2->Ref();
-		assert(t2);
-		return t2;
-		}
-
 	assert(t);
 	return t;
 	}
@@ -267,10 +220,15 @@ bool BroType::DoSerialize(SerialInfo* info) const
 		return false;
 
 	if ( ! (SERIALIZE(is_network_order) && SERIALIZE(base_type) &&
-		SERIALIZE(is_global_attributes_type)) )
+		// Serialize the former "bool is_global_attributes_type" for
+		// backwards compatibility.
+		SERIALIZE(false)) )
 		return false;
 
-	SERIALIZE_OPTIONAL(attributes_type);
+	// Likewise, serialize the former optional "RecordType* attributes_type"
+	// for backwards compatibility.
+	void* null = NULL;
+	SERIALIZE(null);
 
 	info->s->WriteCloseTag("Type");
 
@@ -288,13 +246,19 @@ bool BroType::DoUnserialize(UnserialInfo* info)
 	tag = (TypeTag) c1;
 	internal_tag = (InternalTypeTag) c2;
 
+	bool not_used;
+
 	if ( ! (UNSERIALIZE(&is_network_order) && UNSERIALIZE(&base_type)
-			&& UNSERIALIZE(&is_global_attributes_type)) )
+			// Unerialize the former "bool is_global_attributes_type" for
+			// backwards compatibility.
+			&& UNSERIALIZE(&not_used)) )
 		return 0;
 
-	BroType* type;
-	UNSERIALIZE_OPTIONAL(type, BroType::Unserialize(info, TYPE_RECORD));
-	attributes_type = (RecordType*) type;
+	BroType* not_used_either;
+
+	// Likewise, unserialize the former optional "RecordType*
+	// attributes_type" for backwards compatibility.
+	UNSERIALIZE_OPTIONAL(not_used_either, BroType::Unserialize(info, TYPE_RECORD));
 
 	return true;
 	}
@@ -721,9 +685,6 @@ TypeDecl::TypeDecl(BroType* t, const char* i, attr_list* arg_attrs)
 	type = t;
 	attrs = arg_attrs ? new Attributes(arg_attrs, t) : 0;
 	id = i;
-
-	if ( in_global_attr_decl && ! attrs->FindAttr(ATTR_DEFAULT) )
-		error("global attribute types must have default values");
 	}
 
 TypeDecl::~TypeDecl()
diff --git a/src/Type.h b/src/Type.h
index 7778fabc1e..ff4d3df9e6 100644
--- a/src/Type.h
+++ b/src/Type.h
@@ -60,9 +60,6 @@ class EnumType;
 class Serializer;
 class VectorType;
 
-extern bool in_global_attr_decl;
-extern RecordType* global_attributes_type;
-
 const int DOES_NOT_MATCH_INDEX = 0;
 const int MATCHES_INDEX_SCALAR = 1;
 const int MATCHES_INDEX_VECTOR = 2;
@@ -74,15 +71,6 @@ public:
 	TypeTag Tag() const		{ return tag; }
 	InternalTypeTag InternalType() const	{ return internal_tag; }
 
-	// Type for the attributes (metadata) on this type.
-	RecordType* AttributesType()
-		{
-		if ( ! attributes_type )
-			attributes_type = global_attributes_type;
-		return attributes_type;
-		}
-	bool SetAttributesType(type_decl_list* attr_types);
-
 	// Whether it's stored in network order.
 	int IsNetworkOrder() const	{ return is_network_order; }
 
@@ -211,8 +199,6 @@ public:
 
 	BroType* Ref()		{ ::Ref(this); return this; }
 
-	void MakeGlobalAttributeType()	{ is_global_attributes_type = true; }
-
 	virtual void Describe(ODesc* d) const;
 
 	virtual unsigned MemoryAllocation() const;
@@ -221,7 +207,7 @@ public:
 	static BroType* Unserialize(UnserialInfo* info, TypeTag want = TYPE_ANY);
 
 protected:
-	BroType()	{ attributes_type = 0; }
+	BroType()	{ }
 
 	void SetError();
 
@@ -232,8 +218,6 @@ private:
 	InternalTypeTag internal_tag;
 	bool is_network_order;
 	bool base_type;
-	bool is_global_attributes_type;
-	RecordType* attributes_type;
 };
 
 class TypeList : public BroType {
diff --git a/src/Val.cc b/src/Val.cc
index f43bafe4d7..4519d76f30 100644
--- a/src/Val.cc
+++ b/src/Val.cc
@@ -414,15 +414,6 @@ bool Val::DoUnserialize(UnserialInfo* info)
 	return false;
 	}
 
-RecordVal* Val::GetAttribs(bool instantiate)
-	{
-	if ( ! instantiate || attribs )
-		return attribs;
-
-	attribs = new RecordVal(type->AttributesType());
-	return attribs;
-	}
-
 int Val::IsZero() const
 	{
 	switch ( type->InternalType() ) {
diff --git a/src/Val.h b/src/Val.h
index 5a2faee9d7..d21562c907 100644
--- a/src/Val.h
+++ b/src/Val.h
@@ -178,13 +178,6 @@ public:
 	Val* Ref()			{ ::Ref(this); return this; }
 	virtual Val* Clone() const;
 
-	RecordVal* GetAttribs(bool instantiate);
-	void SetAttribs(RecordVal* arg_attribs)
-		{
-		Unref((Val*) attribs);
-		attribs = arg_attribs;
-		}
-
 	int IsZero() const;
 	int IsOne() const;
 
diff --git a/src/parse.y b/src/parse.y
index b0bb39f0ea..3cf2c07b18 100644
--- a/src/parse.y
+++ b/src/parse.y
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 %token TOK_BOOL TOK_BREAK TOK_CASE TOK_CONST
 %token TOK_CONSTANT TOK_COPY TOK_COUNT TOK_COUNTER TOK_DEFAULT TOK_DELETE
 %token TOK_DOUBLE TOK_ELSE TOK_ENUM TOK_EVENT TOK_EXPORT TOK_FILE TOK_FOR
-%token TOK_FUNCTION TOK_GLOBAL TOK_GLOBAL_ATTR TOK_ID TOK_IF TOK_INT
+%token TOK_FUNCTION TOK_GLOBAL TOK_ID TOK_IF TOK_INT
 %token TOK_INTERVAL TOK_LIST TOK_LOCAL TOK_MODULE TOK_MATCH TOK_NET
 %token TOK_NEXT TOK_OF TOK_PATTERN TOK_PATTERN_TEXT
 %token TOK_PORT TOK_PRINT TOK_RECORD TOK_REDEF
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 %type <func_type> func_hdr func_params
 %type <type_l> type_list
 %type <type_decl> type_decl formal_args_decl
-%type <type_decl_l> type_decl_list formal_args_decl_list opt_attr_attr
+%type <type_decl_l> type_decl_list formal_args_decl_list
 %type <record> formal_args
 %type <list> expr_list opt_expr_list
 %type <c_case> case
@@ -417,13 +417,7 @@ expr:
 	|	expr TOK_HAS_FIELD TOK_ID
 			{
 			set_location(@1, @3);
-			$$ = new HasFieldExpr($1, $3, false);
-			}
-
-	|	expr TOK_HAS_ATTR TOK_ID
-			{
-			set_location(@1, @3);
-			$$ = new HasFieldExpr($1, $3, true);
+			$$ = new HasFieldExpr($1, $3);
 			}
 
 	|	anonymous_function
@@ -821,17 +815,9 @@ decl:
 				}
 			}
 
-	|	TOK_TYPE global_id ':' refined_type opt_attr opt_attr_attr ';'
+	|	TOK_TYPE global_id ':' refined_type opt_attr ';'
 			{
 			add_type($2, $4, $5, 0);
-			if ( $6 )
-				$2->AsType()->SetAttributesType($6);
-			}
-
-	|	TOK_GLOBAL_ATTR ':' { in_global_attr_decl = true; }
-		'{' type_decl_list '}' ';' { in_global_attr_decl = false; }
-			{
-			global_attributes_type = new RecordType($5);
 			}
 
 	|	TOK_EVENT event_id ':' refined_type opt_attr ';'
@@ -856,13 +842,6 @@ conditional:
 			{ do_atelse(); }
 	;
 
-opt_attr_attr:
-		TOK_ATTR_ATTR '=' '{' type_decl_list '}'
-			{ $$ = $4; }
-	|
-			{ $$ = 0; }
-	;
-
 func_hdr:
 		TOK_FUNCTION global_id func_params
 			{
diff --git a/src/scan.l b/src/scan.l
index 0d479dc44e..9dc4d828e0 100644
--- a/src/scan.l
+++ b/src/scan.l
@@ -151,9 +151,7 @@ file	return TOK_FILE;
 for	return TOK_FOR;
 function	return TOK_FUNCTION;
 global	return TOK_GLOBAL;
-global_attr	return TOK_GLOBAL_ATTR;
 "?$"	return TOK_HAS_FIELD;
-"?$$"	return TOK_HAS_ATTR;
 if	return TOK_IF;
 in	return TOK_IN;
 "!"{OWS}in/[^A-Za-z0-9]	return TOK_NOT_IN;	/* don't confuse w "! infoo"! */