diff --git a/js/id/graph/entity.js b/js/id/graph/entity.js
index ae612c268..bce9675ee 100644
--- a/js/id/graph/entity.js
+++ b/js/id/graph/entity.js
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ iD.Entity.prototype = {
 
         if (!this.id && this.type) {
             this.id = iD.Entity.id(this.type);
-            this._updated = true;
         }
 
         if (iD.debug) {
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ iD.Entity.prototype = {
     },
 
     update: function(attrs) {
-        return iD.Entity(this, attrs, {_updated: true});
+        return iD.Entity(this, attrs);
     },
 
     mergeTags: function(tags) {
@@ -80,14 +79,6 @@ iD.Entity.prototype = {
         return this.update({tags: merged});
     },
 
-    created: function() {
-        return this._updated && this.osmId().charAt(0) === '-';
-    },
-
-    modified: function() {
-        return this._updated && this.osmId().charAt(0) !== '-';
-    },
-
     intersects: function(extent, resolver) {
         return this.extent(resolver).intersects(extent);
     },
diff --git a/test/spec/graph/entity.js b/test/spec/graph/entity.js
index 088ab5516..f2ac85f17 100644
--- a/test/spec/graph/entity.js
+++ b/test/spec/graph/entity.js
@@ -52,12 +52,6 @@ describe('iD.Entity', function () {
             expect(e.id).to.equal('w1');
         });
 
-        it("tags the entity as updated", function () {
-            var tags = {foo: 'bar'},
-                e = iD.Entity().update({tags: tags});
-            expect(e._updated).to.to.be.true;
-        });
-
         it("doesn't modify the input", function () {
             var attrs = {tags: {foo: 'bar'}},
                 e = iD.Entity().update(attrs);
@@ -104,42 +98,6 @@ describe('iD.Entity', function () {
         });
     });
 
-    describe("#created", function () {
-        it("returns falsy by default", function () {
-            expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w1234'}).created()).not.to.be.ok;
-        });
-
-        it("returns falsy for an unmodified Entity", function () {
-            expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w1234'}).created()).not.to.be.ok;
-        });
-
-        it("returns falsy for a modified Entity with positive ID", function () {
-            expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w1234'}).update({}).created()).not.to.be.ok;
-        });
-
-        it("returns truthy for a modified Entity with negative ID", function () {
-           expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w-1234'}).update({}).created()).to.be.ok;
-        });
-    });
-
-    describe("#modified", function () {
-        it("returns falsy by default", function () {
-            expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w1234'}).modified()).not.to.be.ok;
-        });
-
-        it("returns falsy for an unmodified Entity", function () {
-            expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w1234'}).modified()).not.to.be.ok;
-        });
-
-        it("returns truthy for a modified Entity with positive ID", function () {
-            expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w1234'}).update({}).modified()).to.be.ok;
-        });
-
-        it("returns falsy for a modified Entity with negative ID", function () {
-           expect(iD.Entity({id: 'w-1234'}).update({}).modified()).not.to.be.ok;
-        });
-    });
-
     describe("#intersects", function () {
         it("returns true for a way with a node within the given extent", function () {
             var node  = iD.Node({loc: [0, 0]}),
diff --git a/test/spec/graph/node.js b/test/spec/graph/node.js
index ad149261e..71a2c5e95 100644
--- a/test/spec/graph/node.js
+++ b/test/spec/graph/node.js
@@ -4,15 +4,6 @@ describe('iD.Node', function () {
         expect(iD.Node().type).to.equal("node");
     });
 
-    it("returns a created Entity if no ID is specified", function () {
-        expect(iD.Node().created()).to.be.ok;
-    });
-
-    it("returns an unmodified Entity if ID is specified", function () {
-        expect(iD.Node({id: 'n1234'}).created()).not.to.be.ok;
-        expect(iD.Node({id: 'n1234'}).modified()).not.to.be.ok;
-    });
-
     it("defaults tags to an empty object", function () {
         expect(iD.Node().tags).to.eql({});
     });
diff --git a/test/spec/graph/relation.js b/test/spec/graph/relation.js
index 8edf9c1e7..6e00dcacb 100644
--- a/test/spec/graph/relation.js
+++ b/test/spec/graph/relation.js
@@ -10,15 +10,6 @@ describe('iD.Relation', function () {
         expect(iD.Relation().type).to.equal("relation");
     });
 
-    it("returns a created Entity if no ID is specified", function () {
-        expect(iD.Relation().created()).to.be.ok;
-    });
-
-    it("returns an unmodified Entity if ID is specified", function () {
-        expect(iD.Relation({id: 'r1234'}).created()).not.to.be.ok;
-        expect(iD.Relation({id: 'r1234'}).modified()).not.to.be.ok;
-    });
-
     it("defaults members to an empty array", function () {
         expect(iD.Relation().members).to.eql([]);
     });
diff --git a/test/spec/graph/way.js b/test/spec/graph/way.js
index ec41edec6..6b6b1543f 100644
--- a/test/spec/graph/way.js
+++ b/test/spec/graph/way.js
@@ -10,15 +10,6 @@ describe('iD.Way', function() {
         expect(iD.Way().type).to.equal("way");
     });
 
-    it("returns a created Entity if no ID is specified", function () {
-        expect(iD.Way().created()).to.be.ok;
-    });
-
-    it("returns an unmodified Entity if ID is specified", function () {
-        expect(iD.Way({id: 'w1234'}).created()).not.to.be.ok;
-        expect(iD.Way({id: 'w1234'}).modified()).not.to.be.ok;
-    });
-
     it("defaults nodes to an empty array", function () {
         expect(iD.Way().nodes).to.eql([]);
     });