diff --git a/src/features/importer/js/importer.js b/src/features/importer/js/importer.js
index ee21b29a3b..efe6c9d683 100644
--- a/src/features/importer/js/importer.js
+++ b/src/features/importer/js/importer.js
@@ -728,7 +728,7 @@
         link: function ($scope, $elm, $attrs, uiGridCtrl) {
           var grid;
 
-          var handleFileSelect = function( event ){
+          function handleFileSelect(event) {
             var target = event.srcElement || event.target;
 
             if (target && target.files && target.files.length === 1) {
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@
                 gridUtil.logError('Could not import file because UI Grid was not found.');
               }
             }
-          };
+          }
 
           var fileChooser = $elm[0].querySelectorAll('.ui-grid-importer-file-chooser');
 
@@ -753,11 +753,6 @@
           } else {
             fileChooser[0].addEventListener('change', handleFileSelect, false);
           }
-
-          $scope.$on('$destroy', function unbindEvents() {
-            // unbind jquery events to prevent memory leaks
-            fileChooser[0].removeEventListener('change', handleFileSelect, false);
-          });
         }
       };
     }
diff --git a/src/features/importer/test/uiGridImporterMenuItemDirective.spec.js b/src/features/importer/test/uiGridImporterMenuItemDirective.spec.js
index 844c4d7124..8b3b20a83a 100644
--- a/src/features/importer/test/uiGridImporterMenuItemDirective.spec.js
+++ b/src/features/importer/test/uiGridImporterMenuItemDirective.spec.js
@@ -54,16 +54,4 @@ describe('ui.grid.importer uiGridImporterMenuItem', function() {
 
 		expect(gridUtil.logError).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Found > 1 or < 1 file choosers within the menu item, error, cannot continue');
 	});
-	describe('on $destroy', function() {
-		beforeEach(function() {
-			spyOn(fileChooser[0], 'removeEventListener').and.callThrough();
-			$scope.$broadcast('$destroy');
-		});
-		afterEach(function() {
-			fileChooser[0].removeEventListener.calls.reset();
-		});
-		it('should remove all event handlers', function() {
-			expect(fileChooser[0].removeEventListener).toHaveBeenCalled();
-		});
-	});
 });