diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index 0b074e8c6..25117ca07 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -293,7 +293,6 @@ class Config(object):
     }
     CELERY_QUEUES = []
 
-    NOTIFICATIONS_ALERT = 5  # five mins
     FROM_NUMBER = 'development'
 
     STATSD_HOST = os.getenv('STATSD_HOST')
diff --git a/app/dao/notifications_dao.py b/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
index 882189ae3..84f9e1249 100644
--- a/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
+++ b/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
@@ -79,14 +79,6 @@ def dao_create_notification(notification):
     db.session.add(notification)
 
 
-def _should_record_notification_in_history_table(notification):
-    if notification.api_key_id and notification.key_type == KEY_TYPE_TEST:
-        return False
-    if notification.service.research_mode:
-        return False
-    return True
-
-
 def _decide_permanent_temporary_failure(current_status, status):
     # Firetext will send pending, then send either succes or fail.
     # If we go from pending to delivered we need to set failure type as temporary-failure