diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 803ab3cc7..aaad11ff9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -59,17 +59,6 @@ if test "$enable_system_torrc" = "no"; then
             [Defined if we're not going to look for a torrc in SYSCONF])
 fi
 
-if test x$enable_buf_freelists = xyes; then
-  AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_BUF_FREELISTS, 1,
-            [Defined if we try to use freelists for buffer RAM chunks])
-fi
-
-AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_MEMPOOLS, test x$enable_mempools = xyes)
-if test x$enable_mempools = xyes; then
-  AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_MEMPOOLS, 1,
-            [Defined if we try to use mempools for cells being relayed])
-fi
-
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_OPENBSD_MALLOC, test x$enable_openbsd_malloc = xyes)
 if test x$enable_instrument_downloads = xyes; then
   AC_DEFINE(INSTRUMENT_DOWNLOADS, 1,
diff --git a/src/or/main.c b/src/or/main.c
index 09144cb1f..2ef7a7482 100644
--- a/src/or/main.c
+++ b/src/or/main.c
@@ -1987,11 +1987,6 @@ do_main_loop(void)
     }
   }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  /* Set up the packed_cell_t memory pool. */
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   /* Set up our buckets */
   connection_bucket_init();
 #ifndef USE_BUFFEREVENTS
@@ -2646,9 +2641,6 @@ tor_free_all(int postfork)
     router_free_all();
     policies_free_all();
   }
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
   if (!postfork) {
     tor_tls_free_all();
 #ifndef _WIN32
diff --git a/src/or/relay.c b/src/or/relay.c
index c83d9249f..50eaab83c 100644
--- a/src/or/relay.c
+++ b/src/or/relay.c
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@
 #include "control.h"
 #include "geoip.h"
 #include "main.h"
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-#include "mempool.h"
-#endif
 #include "networkstatus.h"
 #include "nodelist.h"
 #include "onion.h"
@@ -2252,62 +2249,12 @@ circuit_consider_sending_sendme(circuit_t *circ, crypt_path_t *layer_hint)
 /** The total number of cells we have allocated. */
 static size_t total_cells_allocated = 0;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-/** A memory pool to allocate packed_cell_t objects. */
-static mp_pool_t *cell_pool = NULL;
-
-/** Allocate structures to hold cells. */
-void
-init_cell_pool(void)
-{
-  tor_assert(!cell_pool);
-  cell_pool = mp_pool_new(sizeof(packed_cell_t), 128*1024);
-}
-
-/** Free all storage used to hold cells (and insertion times/commands if we
- * measure cell statistics and/or if CELL_STATS events are enabled). */
-void
-free_cell_pool(void)
-{
-  /* Maybe we haven't called init_cell_pool yet; need to check for it. */
-  if (cell_pool) {
-    mp_pool_destroy(cell_pool);
-    cell_pool = NULL;
-  }
-}
-
-/** Free excess storage in cell pool. */
-void
-clean_cell_pool(void)
-{
-  tor_assert(cell_pool);
-  mp_pool_clean(cell_pool, 0, 1);
-}
-
-#define relay_alloc_cell() \
-  mp_pool_get(cell_pool)
-#define relay_free_cell(cell) \
-  mp_pool_release(cell)
-
-#define RELAY_CELL_MEM_COST (sizeof(packed_cell_t) + MP_POOL_ITEM_OVERHEAD)
-
-#else /* !ENABLE_MEMPOOLS case */
-
-#define relay_alloc_cell() \
-  tor_malloc_zero(sizeof(packed_cell_t))
-#define relay_free_cell(cell) \
-  tor_free(cell)
-
-#define RELAY_CELL_MEM_COST (sizeof(packed_cell_t))
-
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
 /** Release storage held by <b>cell</b>. */
 static INLINE void
 packed_cell_free_unchecked(packed_cell_t *cell)
 {
   --total_cells_allocated;
-  relay_free_cell(cell);
+  tor_free(cell);
 }
 
 /** Allocate and return a new packed_cell_t. */
@@ -2315,7 +2262,7 @@ STATIC packed_cell_t *
 packed_cell_new(void)
 {
   ++total_cells_allocated;
-  return relay_alloc_cell();
+  return tor_malloc_zero(sizeof(packed_cell_t));
 }
 
 /** Return a packed cell used outside by channel_t lower layer */
@@ -2344,9 +2291,6 @@ dump_cell_pool_usage(int severity)
   tor_log(severity, LD_MM,
           "%d cells allocated on %d circuits. %d cells leaked.",
           n_cells, n_circs, (int)total_cells_allocated - n_cells);
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  mp_pool_log_status(cell_pool, severity);
-#endif
 }
 
 /** Allocate a new copy of packed <b>cell</b>. */
@@ -2426,7 +2370,7 @@ cell_queue_pop(cell_queue_t *queue)
 size_t
 packed_cell_mem_cost(void)
 {
-  return RELAY_CELL_MEM_COST;
+  return sizeof(packed_cell_t);
 }
 
 /** DOCDOC */
diff --git a/src/or/relay.h b/src/or/relay.h
index cdc2a9ae1..a4f583d11 100644
--- a/src/or/relay.h
+++ b/src/or/relay.h
@@ -42,11 +42,6 @@ extern uint64_t stats_n_data_bytes_packaged;
 extern uint64_t stats_n_data_cells_received;
 extern uint64_t stats_n_data_bytes_received;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-void init_cell_pool(void);
-void free_cell_pool(void);
-void clean_cell_pool(void);
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
 void dump_cell_pool_usage(int severity);
 size_t packed_cell_mem_cost(void);
 
diff --git a/src/test/test.c b/src/test/test.c
index 6c7db4e2c..0524a6978 100644
--- a/src/test/test.c
+++ b/src/test/test.c
@@ -49,9 +49,6 @@ double fabs(double x);
 #include "rendcommon.h"
 #include "test.h"
 #include "torgzip.h"
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-#include "mempool.h"
-#endif
 #include "memarea.h"
 #include "onion.h"
 #include "onion_ntor.h"
diff --git a/src/test/test_cell_queue.c b/src/test/test_cell_queue.c
index effd316f3..ed34df2ea 100644
--- a/src/test/test_cell_queue.c
+++ b/src/test/test_cell_queue.c
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ test_cq_manip(void *arg)
   cell_t cell;
   (void) arg;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   cell_queue_init(&cq);
   tt_int_op(cq.n, OP_EQ, 0);
 
@@ -99,10 +95,6 @@ test_cq_manip(void *arg)
   packed_cell_free(pc_tmp);
 
   cell_queue_clear(&cq);
-
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
 }
 
 static void
@@ -114,10 +106,6 @@ test_circuit_n_cells(void *arg)
 
   (void)arg;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   pc1 = packed_cell_new();
   pc2 = packed_cell_new();
   pc3 = packed_cell_new();
@@ -144,10 +132,6 @@ test_circuit_n_cells(void *arg)
  done:
   circuit_free(TO_CIRCUIT(or_c));
   circuit_free(TO_CIRCUIT(origin_c));
-
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
 }
 
 struct testcase_t cell_queue_tests[] = {
diff --git a/src/test/test_channel.c b/src/test/test_channel.c
index 99633a402..6cf66493a 100644
--- a/src/test/test_channel.c
+++ b/src/test/test_channel.c
@@ -650,10 +650,6 @@ test_channel_flush(void *arg)
 
   (void)arg;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   ch = new_fake_channel();
   tt_assert(ch);
 
@@ -695,9 +691,6 @@ test_channel_flush(void *arg)
 
  done:
   tor_free(ch);
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
 
   return;
 }
@@ -715,10 +708,6 @@ test_channel_flushmux(void *arg)
 
   (void)arg;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   /* Install mocks we need for this test */
   MOCK(channel_flush_from_first_active_circuit,
        chan_test_channel_flush_from_first_active_circuit_mock);
@@ -778,10 +767,6 @@ test_channel_flushmux(void *arg)
 
   test_chan_accept_cells = 0;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   return;
 }
 
@@ -1300,10 +1285,6 @@ test_channel_queue_impossible(void *arg)
 
   (void)arg;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   ch = new_fake_channel();
   tt_assert(ch);
 
@@ -1430,9 +1411,6 @@ test_channel_queue_impossible(void *arg)
 
  done:
   free_fake_channel(ch);
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
 
   /*
    * Doing that meant that we couldn't correctly adjust the queue size
@@ -1575,10 +1553,6 @@ test_channel_write(void *arg)
 
   (void)arg;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   packed_cell = packed_cell_new();
   tt_assert(packed_cell);
 
@@ -1675,10 +1649,6 @@ test_channel_write(void *arg)
   packed_cell = NULL;
   tt_assert(test_cells_written == old_count);
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
  done:
   free_fake_channel(ch);
   tor_free(var_cell);
diff --git a/src/test/test_circuitmux.c b/src/test/test_circuitmux.c
index 2a2a7ba14..6d93731ee 100644
--- a/src/test/test_circuitmux.c
+++ b/src/test/test_circuitmux.c
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ test_cmux_destroy_cell_queue(void *arg)
   tor_libevent_initialize(&cfg);
   scheduler_init();
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
   (void) arg;
 
   cmux = circuitmux_alloc();
@@ -82,10 +79,6 @@ test_cmux_destroy_cell_queue(void *arg)
   circuitmux_free(cmux);
   channel_free(ch);
   packed_cell_free(pc);
-
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
 }
 
 struct testcase_t circuitmux_tests[] = {
diff --git a/src/test/test_oom.c b/src/test/test_oom.c
index 28b4c0435..41cfcdbd8 100644
--- a/src/test/test_oom.c
+++ b/src/test/test_oom.c
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@
 #include "compat_libevent.h"
 #include "connection.h"
 #include "config.h"
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-#include "mempool.h"
-#endif
 #include "relay.h"
 #include "test.h"
 
@@ -143,10 +140,6 @@ test_oom_circbuf(void *arg)
 
   MOCK(circuit_mark_for_close_, circuit_mark_for_close_dummy_);
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   /* Far too low for real life. */
   options->MaxMemInQueues = 256*packed_cell_mem_cost();
   options->CellStatistics = 0;
@@ -164,13 +157,8 @@ test_oom_circbuf(void *arg)
   tor_gettimeofday_cache_set(&tv);
   c2 = dummy_or_circuit_new(20, 20);
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  tt_int_op(packed_cell_mem_cost(), OP_EQ,
-            sizeof(packed_cell_t) + MP_POOL_ITEM_OVERHEAD);
-#else
   tt_int_op(packed_cell_mem_cost(), OP_EQ,
             sizeof(packed_cell_t));
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
   tt_int_op(cell_queues_get_total_allocation(), OP_EQ,
             packed_cell_mem_cost() * 70);
   tt_int_op(cell_queues_check_size(), OP_EQ, 0); /* We are still not OOM */
@@ -242,10 +230,6 @@ test_oom_streambuf(void *arg)
 
   MOCK(circuit_mark_for_close_, circuit_mark_for_close_dummy_);
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   /* Far too low for real life. */
   options->MaxMemInQueues = 81*packed_cell_mem_cost() + 4096 * 34;
   options->CellStatistics = 0;
diff --git a/src/test/test_relay.c b/src/test/test_relay.c
index 2144ef335..6081956d4 100644
--- a/src/test/test_relay.c
+++ b/src/test/test_relay.c
@@ -60,11 +60,6 @@ test_relay_append_cell_to_circuit_queue(void *arg)
 
   (void)arg;
 
-  /* We'll need the cell pool for append_cell_to_circuit_queue() to work */
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  init_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
-
   /* Make fake channels to be nchan and pchan for the circuit */
   nchan = new_fake_channel();
   tt_assert(nchan);
@@ -119,9 +114,6 @@ test_relay_append_cell_to_circuit_queue(void *arg)
   tor_free(orcirc);
   free_fake_channel(nchan);
   free_fake_channel(pchan);
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  free_cell_pool();
-#endif /* ENABLE_MEMPOOLS */
 
   return;
 }
diff --git a/src/test/test_util.c b/src/test/test_util.c
index 9939bf4e3..51e9e761a 100644
--- a/src/test/test_util.c
+++ b/src/test/test_util.c
@@ -4338,9 +4338,6 @@ struct testcase_t util_tests[] = {
   UTIL_LEGACY(pow2),
   UTIL_LEGACY(gzip),
   UTIL_LEGACY(datadir),
-#ifdef ENABLE_MEMPOOLS
-  UTIL_LEGACY(mempool),
-#endif
   UTIL_LEGACY(memarea),
   UTIL_LEGACY(control_formats),
   UTIL_LEGACY(mmap),