diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 2958f98e..4b344ffc 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -293,7 +293,6 @@ func (n *Node) AddListener(l p2p.Listener) {
 // ConfigureRPC sets all variables in rpccore so they will serve
 // rpc calls from this node
 func (n *Node) ConfigureRPC() {
-	rpccore.SetConfig(n.config)
 	rpccore.SetEventSwitch(n.evsw)
 	rpccore.SetBlockStore(n.blockStore)
 	rpccore.SetConsensusState(n.consensusState)
diff --git a/rpc/core/dev.go b/rpc/core/dev.go
index 43a98953..a3c970d4 100644
--- a/rpc/core/dev.go
+++ b/rpc/core/dev.go
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 package core
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"runtime/pprof"
-	"strconv"
 
 	ctypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/core/types"
 )
@@ -14,31 +12,6 @@ func UnsafeFlushMempool() (*ctypes.ResultUnsafeFlushMempool, error) {
 	return &ctypes.ResultUnsafeFlushMempool{}, nil
 }
 
-func UnsafeSetConfig(typ, key, value string) (*ctypes.ResultUnsafeSetConfig, error) {
-	switch typ {
-	case "string":
-		config.Set(key, value)
-	case "int":
-		val, err := strconv.Atoi(value)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("non-integer value found. key:%s; value:%s; err:%v", key, value, err)
-		}
-		config.Set(key, val)
-	case "bool":
-		switch value {
-		case "true":
-			config.Set(key, true)
-		case "false":
-			config.Set(key, false)
-		default:
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("bool value must be true or false. got %s", value)
-		}
-	default:
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unknown type %s", typ)
-	}
-	return &ctypes.ResultUnsafeSetConfig{}, nil
-}
-
 var profFile *os.File
 
 func UnsafeStartCPUProfiler(filename string) (*ctypes.ResultUnsafeProfile, error) {
diff --git a/rpc/core/pipe.go b/rpc/core/pipe.go
index b10ff473..7a6a2d32 100644
--- a/rpc/core/pipe.go
+++ b/rpc/core/pipe.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package core
 
 import (
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/consensus"
 	p2p "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/p2p"
@@ -34,7 +32,6 @@ var (
 	// external, thread safe interfaces
 	eventSwitch   types.EventSwitch
 	proxyAppQuery proxy.AppConnQuery
-	config        *viper.Viper
 
 	// interfaces defined in types and above
 	blockStore     types.BlockStore
@@ -49,10 +46,6 @@ var (
 	txIndexer txindex.TxIndexer
 )
 
-func SetConfig(c *viper.Viper) {
-	config = c
-}
-
 func SetEventSwitch(evsw types.EventSwitch) {
 	eventSwitch = evsw
 }
diff --git a/rpc/core/routes.go b/rpc/core/routes.go
index b662ae48..5e045d49 100644
--- a/rpc/core/routes.go
+++ b/rpc/core/routes.go
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	rpc "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/lib/server"
+
+	data "github.com/tendermint/go-wire/data"
+	ctypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/core/types"
+	rpc "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/lib/server"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/lib/types"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
 // TODO: better system than "unsafe" prefix
@@ -36,9 +42,6 @@ var Routes = map[string]*rpc.RPCFunc{
 	"dial_seeds":           rpc.NewRPCFunc(UnsafeDialSeeds, "seeds"),
 	"unsafe_flush_mempool": rpc.NewRPCFunc(UnsafeFlushMempool, ""),
 
-	// config is not in general thread safe. expose specifics if you need em
-	// "unsafe_set_config":    rpc.NewRPCFunc(UnsafeSetConfig, "type,key,value"),
-
 	// profiler API
 	"unsafe_start_cpu_profiler": rpc.NewRPCFunc(UnsafeStartCPUProfiler, "filename"),
 	"unsafe_stop_cpu_profiler":  rpc.NewRPCFunc(UnsafeStopCPUProfiler, ""),
diff --git a/rpc/core/types/responses.go b/rpc/core/types/responses.go
index 7fa9e70b..b9c22a8b 100644
--- a/rpc/core/types/responses.go
+++ b/rpc/core/types/responses.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire/data"
+
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
@@ -116,8 +117,6 @@ type ResultABCIQuery struct {
 
 type ResultUnsafeFlushMempool struct{}
 
-type ResultUnsafeSetConfig struct{}
-
 type ResultUnsafeProfile struct{}
 
 type ResultSubscribe struct{}
diff --git a/rpc/test/client_test.go b/rpc/test/client_test.go
index aed179d4..bd972f91 100644
--- a/rpc/test/client_test.go
+++ b/rpc/test/client_test.go
@@ -13,12 +13,13 @@ import (
 
 	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire/data"
+	. "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
+
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/core"
 	ctypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/core/types"
 	rpc "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/lib/client"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/state/txindex/null"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
-	. "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 )
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -349,54 +350,3 @@ func TestWSDoubleFire(t *testing.T) {
 		return nil
 	})
 }*/
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-//TODO needs to be refactored so we don't use a mutable config but rather update specific values we're interested in
-// unsafe_set_config
-
-//var stringVal = "my string"
-//var intVal = 987654321
-//var boolVal = true
-//
-//// don't change these
-//var testCasesUnsafeSetConfig = [][]string{
-//	[]string{"string", "key1", stringVal},
-//	[]string{"int", "key2", fmt.Sprintf("%v", intVal)},
-//	[]string{"bool", "key3", fmt.Sprintf("%v", boolVal)},
-//}
-//
-//func TestURIUnsafeSetConfig(t *testing.T) {
-//	for _, testCase := range testCasesUnsafeSetConfig {
-//		result := new(ctypes.TMResult)
-//		_, err := GetURIClient().Call("unsafe_set_config", map[string]interface{}{
-//			"type":  testCase[0],
-//			"key":   testCase[1],
-//			"value": testCase[2],
-//		}, result)
-//		require.Nil(t, err)
-//	}
-//	testUnsafeSetConfig(t)
-//}
-//
-//func TestJSONUnsafeSetConfig(t *testing.T) {
-//	for _, testCase := range testCasesUnsafeSetConfig {
-//		result := new(ctypes.TMResult)
-//		_, err := GetJSONClient().Call("unsafe_set_config",
-//			map[string]interface{}{"type": testCase[0], "key": testCase[1], "value": testCase[2]},
-//			result)
-//		require.Nil(t, err)
-//	}
-//	testUnsafeSetConfig(t)
-//}
-//
-//func testUnsafeSetConfig(t *testing.T) {
-//	require := require.New(t)
-//	s := config.GetString("key1")
-//	require.Equal(stringVal, s)
-//
-//	i := config.GetInt("key2")
-//	require.Equal(intVal, i)
-//
-//	b := config.GetBool("key3")
-//	require.Equal(boolVal, b)
-//}