diff --git a/ckan/lib/dictization/model_save.py b/ckan/lib/dictization/model_save.py
index 1df8b662584..b292b4bab51 100644
--- a/ckan/lib/dictization/model_save.py
+++ b/ckan/lib/dictization/model_save.py
@@ -96,16 +96,14 @@ def package_resource_list_save(res_dicts, package, context):
         resource_list.append(resource)
 
 
-def package_extras_save(extra_dicts, obj, context):
+def package_extras_save(extra_dicts, pkg, context):
     allow_partial_update = context.get("allow_partial_update", False)
     if extra_dicts is None and allow_partial_update:
         return
 
-    model = context["model"]
     session = context["session"]
 
-    extras_list = obj.extras_list
-    old_extras = dict((extra.key, extra) for extra in extras_list)
+    old_extras = pkg._extras
 
     new_extras = {}
     for extra_dict in extra_dicts or []:
@@ -116,28 +114,22 @@ def package_extras_save(extra_dicts, obj, context):
             pass
         else:
             new_extras[extra_dict["key"]] = extra_dict["value"]
+
     #new
     for key in set(new_extras.keys()) - set(old_extras.keys()):
-        state = 'active'
-        extra = model.PackageExtra(state=state, key=key, value=new_extras[key])
-        session.add(extra)
-        extras_list.append(extra)
+        pkg.extras[key] = new_extras[key]
     #changed
     for key in set(new_extras.keys()) & set(old_extras.keys()):
         extra = old_extras[key]
-        if new_extras[key] == extra.value and extra.state != 'deleted':
+        if new_extras[key] == extra.value:
             continue
-        state = 'active'
         extra.value = new_extras[key]
-        extra.state = state
         session.add(extra)
     #deleted
     for key in set(old_extras.keys()) - set(new_extras.keys()):
         extra = old_extras[key]
-        if extra.state == 'deleted':
-            continue
-        state = 'deleted'
-        extra.state = state
+        extra.delete()
+
 
 def package_tag_list_save(tag_dicts, package, context):
     allow_partial_update = context.get("allow_partial_update", False)
@@ -305,7 +297,7 @@ def package_dict_save(pkg_dict, context):
         objects = pkg_dict.get('relationships_as_object')
         relationship_list_save(objects, pkg, 'relationships_as_object', context)
 
-    extras = package_extras_save(pkg_dict.get("extras"), pkg, context)
+    package_extras_save(pkg_dict.get("extras"), pkg, context)
 
     return pkg
 
diff --git a/ckan/migration/versions/077_add_revisions_to_system_info.py b/ckan/migration/versions/077_add_revisions_to_system_info.py
index 9516a9127c0..daa979164a2 100644
--- a/ckan/migration/versions/077_add_revisions_to_system_info.py
+++ b/ckan/migration/versions/077_add_revisions_to_system_info.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # encoding: utf-8
 
-import vdm.sqlalchemy
+from ckan import model
 
 
 def upgrade(migrate_engine):
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@ def upgrade(migrate_engine):
         ALTER TABLE system_info_revision
             DROP CONSTRAINT "system_info_revision_key_key";
 
-        '''.format(state=vdm.sqlalchemy.State.ACTIVE)
+        '''.format(state=model.State.ACTIVE)
     )
diff --git a/ckan/migration/versions/088_delete_extras_which_are_deleted_state.py b/ckan/migration/versions/088_delete_extras_which_are_deleted_state.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7cf4a2c3752
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ckan/migration/versions/088_delete_extras_which_are_deleted_state.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+
+
+def upgrade(migrate_engine):
+    migrate_engine.execute(
+        '''
+ALTER TABLE "package_extra_revision"
+    DROP CONSTRAINT IF EXISTS package_extra_revision_continuity_id_fkey;
+ALTER TABLE "group_extra_revision"
+    DROP CONSTRAINT IF EXISTS group_extra_revision_continuity_id_fkey;
+DELETE FROM "package_extra" WHERE state='deleted';
+DELETE FROM "group_extra" WHERE state='deleted';
+        '''
+    )
diff --git a/ckan/migration/versions/088_package_activity_migration_check.py b/ckan/migration/versions/089_package_activity_migration_check.py
similarity index 100%
rename from ckan/migration/versions/088_package_activity_migration_check.py
rename to ckan/migration/versions/089_package_activity_migration_check.py
diff --git a/ckan/model/core.py b/ckan/model/core.py
index 767dd851d8c..596f86d5099 100644
--- a/ckan/model/core.py
+++ b/ckan/model/core.py
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@
 
 import datetime
 
+from sqlalchemy import Column, DateTime, Text, Boolean
+
 import domain_object
 import meta
-import vdm.sqlalchemy
-from sqlalchemy import Column, DateTime, Text, Boolean
 
 
-__all__ = ['System', 'State']
+__all__ = ['System', 'State', 'StatefulObjectMixin']
+log = __import__('logging').getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class System(domain_object.DomainObject):
@@ -27,5 +28,22 @@ def by_name(cls, name):
 
 
 # VDM-specific domain objects
-State = vdm.sqlalchemy.State
-State.all = [State.ACTIVE, State.DELETED]
+class State(object):
+    ACTIVE = u'active'
+    DELETED = u'deleted'
+    PENDING = u'pending'
+
+
+class StatefulObjectMixin(object):
+    __stateful__ = True
+
+    def delete(self):
+        log.debug('Running delete on %s', self)
+        self.state = State.DELETED
+
+    def undelete(self):
+        self.state = State.ACTIVE
+
+    def is_active(self):
+        # also support None in case this object is not yet refreshed ...
+        return self.state is None or self.state == State.ACTIVE
diff --git a/ckan/model/domain_object.py b/ckan/model/domain_object.py
index 9761042a553..c7b5ae1cf16 100644
--- a/ckan/model/domain_object.py
+++ b/ckan/model/domain_object.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def remove(self):
 
     def delete(self):
         # stateful objects have this method overridden - see
-        # vmd.base.StatefulObjectMixin
+        # core.StatefulObjectMixin
         self.Session.delete(self)
 
     def purge(self):
diff --git a/ckan/model/group.py b/ckan/model/group.py
index b3459ae022f..fcb1e33ea89 100644
--- a/ckan/model/group.py
+++ b/ckan/model/group.py
@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@
                      Column('capacity', types.UnicodeText,
                             nullable=False),
                      Column('group_id', types.UnicodeText,
-                            ForeignKey('group.id')),)
+                            ForeignKey('group.id')),
+                     Column('state', types.UnicodeText,
+                            default=core.State.ACTIVE),
+                     )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(member_table)
 
 group_table = Table('group', meta.metadata,
                     Column('id', types.UnicodeText,
@@ -46,12 +48,13 @@
                            default=datetime.datetime.now),
                     Column('is_organization', types.Boolean, default=False),
                     Column('approval_status', types.UnicodeText,
-                           default=u"approved"))
+                           default=u"approved"),
+                    Column('state', types.UnicodeText,
+                           default=core.State.ACTIVE),
+                    )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(group_table)
 
-
-class Member(vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
+class Member(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
              domain_object.DomainObject):
     '''A Member object represents any other object being a 'member' of a
     particular Group.
@@ -108,7 +111,7 @@ def __unicode__(self):
                 table_info, self.capacity, self.state)
 
 
-class Group(vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
+class Group(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
             domain_object.DomainObject):
 
     def __init__(self, name=u'', title=u'', description=u'', image_url=u'',
diff --git a/ckan/model/group_extra.py b/ckan/model/group_extra.py
index 6895125d865..989b9b5f37b 100644
--- a/ckan/model/group_extra.py
+++ b/ckan/model/group_extra.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # encoding: utf-8
 
 import vdm.sqlalchemy
-import vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful
 from sqlalchemy import orm, types, Column, Table, ForeignKey
+from sqlalchemy.ext.associationproxy import association_proxy
 from six import text_type
 
 import group
@@ -19,14 +19,12 @@
     Column('group_id', types.UnicodeText, ForeignKey('group.id')),
     Column('key', types.UnicodeText),
     Column('value', types.UnicodeText),
+    Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
 )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(group_extra_table)
 
-
-class GroupExtra(
-        vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
-        domain_object.DomainObject):
+class GroupExtra(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
+                 domain_object.DomainObject):
     pass
 
 meta.mapper(GroupExtra, group_extra_table, properties={
@@ -40,12 +38,8 @@ class GroupExtra(
     order_by=[group_extra_table.c.group_id, group_extra_table.c.key],
 )
 
-
 def _create_extra(key, value):
     return GroupExtra(key=text_type(key), value=value)
 
-_extras_active = vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful.DeferredProperty('_extras',
-        vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful.StatefulDict)
-setattr(group.Group, 'extras_active', _extras_active)
-group.Group.extras = vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful.OurAssociationProxy('extras_active', 'value',
-            creator=_create_extra)
+group.Group.extras = association_proxy(
+    '_extras', 'value', creator=_create_extra)
diff --git a/ckan/model/package.py b/ckan/model/package.py
index 0c2189ecfff..fe91b8d4911 100644
--- a/ckan/model/package.py
+++ b/ckan/model/package.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 from sqlalchemy import orm
 from sqlalchemy import types, Column, Table
 from ckan.common import config
-import vdm.sqlalchemy
 
 import meta
 import core
@@ -52,17 +51,15 @@
         Column('metadata_created', types.DateTime, default=datetime.datetime.utcnow),
         Column('metadata_modified', types.DateTime, default=datetime.datetime.utcnow),
         Column('private', types.Boolean, default=False),
+        Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
 )
 
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(package_table)
-
 ## -------------------
 ## Mapped classes
 
-class Package(
-        vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
-        domain_object.DomainObject):
+class Package(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
+              domain_object.DomainObject):
 
     text_search_fields = ['name', 'title']
 
diff --git a/ckan/model/package_extra.py b/ckan/model/package_extra.py
index 3bc70399f0d..81c95dad2ab 100644
--- a/ckan/model/package_extra.py
+++ b/ckan/model/package_extra.py
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 from six import text_type
 import vdm.sqlalchemy
-import vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful
 from sqlalchemy import orm, types, Column, Table, ForeignKey
+from sqlalchemy.ext.associationproxy import association_proxy
 
 import meta
 import core
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@
     Column('package_id', types.UnicodeText, ForeignKey('package.id')),
     Column('key', types.UnicodeText),
     Column('value', types.UnicodeText),
+    Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
 )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(package_extra_table)
 
 class PackageExtra(
-        vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
+        core.StatefulObjectMixin,
         domain_object.DomainObject):
 
     def related_packages(self):
@@ -41,11 +41,6 @@ def related_packages(self):
             cascade='all, delete, delete-orphan',
             ),
         ),
-    'package_no_state': orm.relation(_package.Package,
-        backref=orm.backref('extras_list',
-            cascade='all, delete, delete-orphan',
-            ),
-        )
     },
     order_by=[package_extra_table.c.package_id, package_extra_table.c.key],
     extension=[extension.PluginMapperExtension()],
@@ -55,8 +50,5 @@ def related_packages(self):
 def _create_extra(key, value):
     return PackageExtra(key=text_type(key), value=value)
 
-_extras_active = vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful.DeferredProperty('_extras',
-        vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful.StatefulDict)
-setattr(_package.Package, 'extras_active', _extras_active)
-_package.Package.extras = vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful.OurAssociationProxy('extras_active', 'value',
-            creator=_create_extra)
+_package.Package.extras = association_proxy(
+    '_extras', 'value', creator=_create_extra)
diff --git a/ckan/model/package_relationship.py b/ckan/model/package_relationship.py
index 386e19cc300..ad9fec017e1 100644
--- a/ckan/model/package_relationship.py
+++ b/ckan/model/package_relationship.py
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ def _(txt):
      Column('object_package_id', types.UnicodeText, ForeignKey('package.id')),
      Column('type', types.UnicodeText),
      Column('comment', types.UnicodeText),
+     Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
      )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(package_relationship_table)
 
-class PackageRelationship(vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
+class PackageRelationship(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
                           domain_object.DomainObject):
     '''The rule with PackageRelationships is that they are stored in the model
     always as the "forward" relationship - i.e. "child_of" but never
diff --git a/ckan/model/resource.py b/ckan/model/resource.py
index 3b977bdec42..f7a0ab4c65f 100644
--- a/ckan/model/resource.py
+++ b/ckan/model/resource.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 from sqlalchemy import orm
 from ckan.common import config
 import vdm.sqlalchemy
-import vdm.sqlalchemy.stateful
 from sqlalchemy import types, func, Column, Table, ForeignKey, and_
 
 import meta
@@ -53,12 +52,11 @@
     Column('cache_last_updated', types.DateTime),
     Column('url_type', types.UnicodeText),
     Column('extras', _types.JsonDictType),
+    Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
 )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(resource_table)
 
-
-class Resource(vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
+class Resource(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
                domain_object.DomainObject):
     extra_columns = None
 
diff --git a/ckan/model/system_info.py b/ckan/model/system_info.py
index 2941aa479ee..2c282172d8d 100644
--- a/ckan/model/system_info.py
+++ b/ckan/model/system_info.py
@@ -23,12 +23,11 @@
     Column('id', types.Integer(),  primary_key=True, nullable=False),
     Column('key', types.Unicode(100), unique=True, nullable=False),
     Column('value', types.UnicodeText),
+    Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
 )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(system_info_table)
 
-
-class SystemInfo(vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
+class SystemInfo(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
                  domain_object.DomainObject):
 
     def __init__(self, key, value):
diff --git a/ckan/model/tag.py b/ckan/model/tag.py
index 60e1c9c637b..736daf3df11 100644
--- a/ckan/model/tag.py
+++ b/ckan/model/tag.py
@@ -34,10 +34,9 @@
         Column('id', types.UnicodeText, primary_key=True, default=_types.make_uuid),
         Column('package_id', types.UnicodeText, ForeignKey('package.id')),
         Column('tag_id', types.UnicodeText, ForeignKey('tag.id')),
+        Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
         )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(package_tag_table)
-
 
 class Tag(domain_object.DomainObject):
     def __init__(self, name='', vocabulary_id=None):
@@ -215,9 +214,8 @@ def packages(self):
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<Tag %s>' % self.name
 
-class PackageTag(
-        vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
-        domain_object.DomainObject):
+class PackageTag(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
+                 domain_object.DomainObject):
     def __init__(self, package=None, tag=None, state=None, **kwargs):
         self.package = package
         self.tag = tag
diff --git a/ckan/model/user.py b/ckan/model/user.py
index 2daced5dcb3..a02885a1218 100644
--- a/ckan/model/user.py
+++ b/ckan/model/user.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 from sqlalchemy.orm import synonym
 from sqlalchemy import types, Column, Table, func
 from six import text_type
-import vdm.sqlalchemy
 
 import meta
 import core
@@ -33,12 +32,11 @@
         Column('activity_streams_email_notifications', types.Boolean,
             default=False),
         Column('sysadmin', types.Boolean, default=False),
+        Column('state', types.UnicodeText, default=core.State.ACTIVE),
         )
 
-vdm.sqlalchemy.make_table_stateful(user_table)
 
-
-class User(vdm.sqlalchemy.StatefulObjectMixin,
+class User(core.StatefulObjectMixin,
            domain_object.DomainObject):
 
     VALID_NAME = re.compile(r"^[a-zA-Z0-9_\-]{3,255}$")
diff --git a/ckan/tests/legacy/lib/test_dictization.py b/ckan/tests/legacy/lib/test_dictization.py
index ce2993ac74d..08dfe296877 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/legacy/lib/test_dictization.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/legacy/lib/test_dictization.py
@@ -41,10 +41,12 @@ def setup_class(cls):
             u'author_email': None,
             u'creator_user_id': None,
             'extras': [
-               {u'key': u'genre',
-                u'state': u'active',
-                u'value': 'romantic novel'},
-               {u'key': u'original media', u'state': u'active', u'value': u'book'}],
+                # extras are no longer revisioned so we get the latest version
+                {'key': u'david', 'state': u'active', 'value': u'new_value'},
+                {'key': u'genre', 'state': u'active', 'value': u'new_value'},
+                {'key': u'original media', 'state': u'active',
+                 'value': u'book'}
+               ],
             'groups': [{
                         u'name': u'david',
                         u'capacity': u'public',
diff --git a/ckan/tests/legacy/models/test_extras.py b/ckan/tests/legacy/models/test_extras.py
index 226376e518c..0afe9475e3d 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/legacy/models/test_extras.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/legacy/models/test_extras.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def test_1(self):
         assert pkg is not None
 
         pkg._extras[u'country'] = model.PackageExtra(key=u'country', value='us')
-        pkg.extras_active[u'xxx'] = model.PackageExtra(key=u'xxx', value='yyy')
+        pkg.extras[u'xxx'] = u'yyy'
         pkg.extras[u'format'] = u'rdf'
         model.repo.commit_and_remove()
 
@@ -27,35 +27,18 @@ def test_1(self):
         rev1 = model.repo.youngest_revision().id
         samepkg = model.Package.by_name(u'warandpeace')
         assert len(samepkg._extras) == 3, samepkg._extras
-        assert samepkg.extras_active[u'country'].value == 'us', samepkg.extras_active
         assert samepkg.extras[u'country'] == 'us'
         assert samepkg.extras[u'format'] == 'rdf'
         model.Session.remove()
 
         # now delete and extras
-        samepkg = model.Package.by_name(u'warandpeace')()
+        samepkg = model.Package.by_name(u'warandpeace')
         del samepkg.extras[u'country']
         model.repo.commit_and_remove()
 
         samepkg = model.Package.by_name(u'warandpeace')
-        assert len(samepkg._extras) == 3
+        assert len(samepkg._extras) == 2
         assert len(samepkg.extras) == 2
         extra = model.Session.query(model.PackageExtra).filter_by(key=u'country').first()
-        assert extra and extra.state == model.State.DELETED, extra
+        assert not extra, extra
         model.Session.remove()
-
-        samepkg = model.Package.by_name(u'warandpeace')
-        samepkg.get_as_of(model.Session.query(model.Revision).get(rev1))
-        assert len(samepkg.extras) == 3, len(samepkg.extras)
-        model.Session.remove()
-
-        # now restore it ...()
-        samepkg = model.Package.by_name(u'warandpeace')
-        samepkg.extras[u'country'] = 'uk'
-        model.repo.commit_and_remove()
-
-        samepkg = model.Package.by_name(u'warandpeace')
-        assert len(samepkg.extras) == 3
-        assert len(samepkg._extras) == 3
-        assert samepkg.extras[u'country'] == 'uk'
-
diff --git a/ckan/tests/logic/action/test_delete.py b/ckan/tests/logic/action/test_delete.py
index a3527d2dfc3..aeea79b5394 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/logic/action/test_delete.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/logic/action/test_delete.py
@@ -242,8 +242,7 @@ def test_purged_group_leaves_no_trace_in_the_model(self):
         assert_equals(sorted(
             [gr.name for gr in model.Session.query(model.GroupRevision)]),
             ['child', 'parent'])
-        assert_equals(model.Session.query(model.GroupExtraRevision).all(),
-                      [])
+        # GroupExtra is not revisioned
         # Member is not revisioned
 
         # No Revision objects were purged, in fact 1 is created for the purge
@@ -345,8 +344,7 @@ def test_purged_organization_leaves_no_trace_in_the_model(self):
         assert_equals(sorted(
             [gr.name for gr in model.Session.query(model.GroupRevision)]),
             ['child', 'parent'])
-        assert_equals(model.Session.query(model.GroupExtraRevision).all(),
-                      [])
+        # GroupExtra is not revisioned
         # Member is not revisioned
 
         # No Revision objects were purged, in fact 1 is created for the purge