diff --git a/include/sway/tree/workspace.h b/include/sway/tree/workspace.h
index fdd92f648..d8a7c5010 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/workspace.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/workspace.h
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ void workspace_destroy(struct sway_workspace *workspace);
 
 void workspace_begin_destroy(struct sway_workspace *workspace);
 
-void workspace_consider_destroy(struct sway_workspace *ws);
-
 char *workspace_next_name(const char *output_name);
 
 bool workspace_switch(struct sway_workspace *workspace,
diff --git a/sway/commands/move.c b/sway/commands/move.c
index f8f89f183..9e5705236 100644
--- a/sway/commands/move.c
+++ b/sway/commands/move.c
@@ -601,15 +601,13 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_move_container(bool no_auto_back_and_forth,
 	// clean-up, destroying parents if the container was the last child
 	if (old_parent) {
 		container_reap_empty(old_parent);
-	} else if (old_ws) {
-		workspace_consider_destroy(old_ws);
 	}
 
 	// arrange windows
 	if (root->fullscreen_global) {
 		arrange_root();
 	} else {
-		if (old_ws && !old_ws->node.destroying) {
+		if (old_ws) {
 			arrange_workspace(old_ws);
 		}
 		arrange_node(node_get_parent(destination));
@@ -643,8 +641,6 @@ static void workspace_move_to_output(struct sway_workspace *workspace,
 		seat_set_raw_focus(seat, &ws->node);
 	}
 
-	workspace_consider_destroy(new_output_old_ws);
-
 	output_sort_workspaces(output);
 	struct sway_node *focus = seat_get_focus_inactive(seat, &workspace->node);
 	seat_set_focus(seat, focus);
@@ -740,8 +736,6 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_move_in_direction(
 	// clean-up, destroying parents if the container was the last child
 	if (old_parent) {
 		container_reap_empty(old_parent);
-	} else if (old_ws) {
-		workspace_consider_destroy(old_ws);
 	}
 
 	struct sway_workspace *new_ws = container->workspace;
diff --git a/sway/commands/sticky.c b/sway/commands/sticky.c
index 3c93a2766..0ee7f4d84 100644
--- a/sway/commands/sticky.c
+++ b/sway/commands/sticky.c
@@ -36,12 +36,10 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_sticky(int argc, char **argv) {
 					"Expected output to have a workspace");
 		}
 		if (container->workspace != active_workspace) {
-			struct sway_workspace *old_workspace = container->workspace;
 			container_detach(container);
 			workspace_add_floating(active_workspace, container);
 			container_handle_fullscreen_reparent(container);
 			arrange_workspace(active_workspace);
-			workspace_consider_destroy(old_workspace);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/input/seat.c b/sway/input/seat.c
index 3c0d9a294..edc6ac331 100644
--- a/sway/input/seat.c
+++ b/sway/input/seat.c
@@ -1194,13 +1194,6 @@ void seat_set_focus(struct sway_seat *seat, struct sway_node *node) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (new_output_last_ws) {
-		workspace_consider_destroy(new_output_last_ws);
-	}
-	if (last_workspace && last_workspace != new_output_last_ws) {
-		workspace_consider_destroy(last_workspace);
-	}
-
 	seat->has_focus = true;
 
 	if (config->smart_gaps && new_workspace) {
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index 6a9ce1c4c..ad3db5165 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@ void container_reap_empty(struct sway_container *con) {
 	if (con->view) {
 		return;
 	}
-	struct sway_workspace *ws = con->workspace;
 	while (con) {
 		if (con->children->length) {
 			return;
@@ -130,9 +129,6 @@ void container_reap_empty(struct sway_container *con) {
 		container_begin_destroy(con);
 		con = parent;
 	}
-	if (ws) {
-		workspace_consider_destroy(ws);
-	}
 }
 
 struct sway_container *container_flatten(struct sway_container *container) {
diff --git a/sway/tree/output.c b/sway/tree/output.c
index a8ae30f7a..12d0c168e 100644
--- a/sway/tree/output.c
+++ b/sway/tree/output.c
@@ -216,12 +216,6 @@ static void output_evacuate(struct sway_output *output) {
 		output_add_workspace(new_output, workspace);
 		output_sort_workspaces(new_output);
 		ipc_event_workspace(NULL, workspace, "move");
-
-		// If there is an old workspace (the noop output may not have one),
-		// check to see if it is empty and should be destroyed.
-		if (new_output_ws) {
-			workspace_consider_destroy(new_output_ws);
-		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/root.c b/sway/tree/root.c
index 7a594538e..56259407a 100644
--- a/sway/tree/root.c
+++ b/sway/tree/root.c
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ void root_scratchpad_show(struct sway_container *con) {
 	// Show the container
 	if (old_ws) {
 		container_detach(con);
-		workspace_consider_destroy(old_ws);
 	} else {
 		// Act on the ancestor of scratchpad hidden split containers
 		while (con->parent) {
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index e62fd018c..8559f0231 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -843,14 +843,12 @@ void view_unmap(struct sway_view *view) {
 	container_begin_destroy(view->container);
 	if (parent) {
 		container_reap_empty(parent);
-	} else if (ws) {
-		workspace_consider_destroy(ws);
 	}
 
 	if (root->fullscreen_global) {
 		// Container may have been a child of the root fullscreen container
 		arrange_root();
-	} else if (ws && !ws->node.destroying) {
+	} else if (ws) {
 		arrange_workspace(ws);
 		workspace_detect_urgent(ws);
 	}
diff --git a/sway/tree/workspace.c b/sway/tree/workspace.c
index 921b7d19a..4b5eb6027 100644
--- a/sway/tree/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/tree/workspace.c
@@ -151,26 +151,6 @@ void workspace_begin_destroy(struct sway_workspace *workspace) {
 	node_set_dirty(&workspace->node);
 }
 
-void workspace_consider_destroy(struct sway_workspace *ws) {
-	if (ws->tiling->length || ws->floating->length) {
-		return;
-	}
-
-	if (ws->output && output_get_active_workspace(ws->output) == ws) {
-		return;
-	}
-
-	struct sway_seat *seat;
-	wl_list_for_each(seat, &server.input->seats, link) {
-		struct sway_node *node = seat_get_focus_inactive(seat, &root->node);
-		if (node == &ws->node) {
-			return;
-		}
-	}
-
-	workspace_begin_destroy(ws);
-}
-
 static bool workspace_valid_on_output(const char *output_name,
 		const char *ws_name) {
 	struct workspace_config *wsc = workspace_find_config(ws_name);