diff --git a/docs/quick-reference.md b/docs/quick-reference.md
index b52cf8ad4f..bcb0029302 100644
--- a/docs/quick-reference.md
+++ b/docs/quick-reference.md
@@ -61,8 +61,7 @@ You have some control over which peers you're connected to:
 
 ### Maintenance
 
-Core keeps old meta around for Horizon and other systems. As cursors get updated, automatic
-maintenance normally deletes more than enough for the node to use a constant amount of disk space.
+Core keeps historical data needed for publish (such as SCP history)
 
 Sometimes you need to clean up more than this (for example, if you have a large maintenance debt).
 In this case running the command `maintenance?count=100000000` (integer is a large number, bigger than your max backlog) will perform the full maintenance.
diff --git a/docs/software/commands.md b/docs/software/commands.md
index db17ba6a83..41ee27e5fd 100644
--- a/docs/software/commands.md
+++ b/docs/software/commands.md
@@ -307,23 +307,6 @@ Most commands return their results in JSON format.
   * `delayed`: participating in the latest consensus rounds, but slower than others.
   * `agree`: running just fine.
 
-* **setcursor**
-  `setcursor?id=ID&cursor=N`<br>
-  Sets or creates a cursor identified by `ID` with value `N`. ID is an
-  uppercase AlphaNum, N is an uint32 that represents the last ledger sequence
-  number that the instance ID processed. Cursors are used by dependent services
-  to tell stellar-core which data can be safely deleted by the instance. The
-  data is historical data stored in the SQL tables such as txhistory or
-  ledgerheaders. When all consumers processed the data for ledger sequence N
-  the data can be safely removed by the instance. The actual deletion is
-  performed by invoking the `maintenance` endpoint or on startup. See also
-  `dropcursor`.
-
-* **getcursor**
-  `getcursor?[id=ID]`<br>
-  Gets the cursor identified by `ID`. If ID is not defined then all cursors
-  will be returned.
-
 * **scp**
   `scp?[limit=n][&fullkeys=false]`<br>
   Returns a JSON object with the internal state of the SCP engine for the last
diff --git a/docs/stellar-core_example.cfg b/docs/stellar-core_example.cfg
index c8325b7476..52ce7271bf 100644
--- a/docs/stellar-core_example.cfg
+++ b/docs/stellar-core_example.cfg
@@ -304,10 +304,6 @@ KNOWN_PEERS=[
 "core-testnet2.stellar.org",
 "core-testnet3.stellar.org"]
 
-# KNOWN_CURSORS (list of strings) default is empty
-# Set of cursors added at each startup with value '1'.
-KNOWN_CURSORS=["HORIZON"]
-
 #######################
 ##  SCP settings
 
diff --git a/src/bucket/test/BucketManagerTests.cpp b/src/bucket/test/BucketManagerTests.cpp
index 62fb33af2a..a861e063bb 100644
--- a/src/bucket/test/BucketManagerTests.cpp
+++ b/src/bucket/test/BucketManagerTests.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include "lib/catch.hpp"
 #include "main/Application.h"
 #include "main/Config.h"
-#include "main/ExternalQueue.h"
+#include "main/Maintainer.h"
 #include "test/TestUtils.h"
 #include "test/test.h"
 #include "util/GlobalChecks.h"
@@ -641,8 +641,7 @@ TEST_CASE_VERSIONS(
             clock.crank(false);
 
             // Trim history after publishing whenever possible.
-            ExternalQueue ps(*app);
-            ps.deleteOldEntries(50000);
+            app->getMaintainer().performMaintenance(50000);
         }
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/database/Database.cpp b/src/database/Database.cpp
index 4ab34363cc..83eadba2cd 100644
--- a/src/database/Database.cpp
+++ b/src/database/Database.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include "history/HistoryManager.h"
 #include "ledger/LedgerHeaderUtils.h"
 #include "ledger/LedgerTxn.h"
-#include "main/ExternalQueue.h"
 #include "main/PersistentState.h"
 #include "overlay/BanManager.h"
 #include "overlay/OverlayManager.h"
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ bool Database::gDriversRegistered = false;
 
 // smallest schema version supported
 static unsigned long const MIN_SCHEMA_VERSION = 21;
-static unsigned long const SCHEMA_VERSION = 23;
+static unsigned long const SCHEMA_VERSION = 24;
 
 // These should always match our compiled version precisely, since we are
 // using a bundled version to get access to carray(). But in case someone
@@ -219,6 +218,9 @@ Database::applySchemaUpgrade(unsigned long vers)
         mApp.getHistoryManager().dropSQLBasedPublish();
         Upgrades::dropSupportUpgradeHistory(*this);
         break;
+    case 24:
+        getSession() << "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS pubsub;";
+        break;
     default:
         throw std::runtime_error("Unknown DB schema version");
     }
@@ -473,7 +475,6 @@ Database::initialize()
     Upgrades::dropAll(*this);
     OverlayManager::dropAll(*this);
     PersistentState::dropAll(*this);
-    ExternalQueue::dropAll(*this);
     LedgerHeaderUtils::dropAll(*this);
     // No need to re-create txhistory, will be dropped during
     // upgradeToCurrentSchema anyway
diff --git a/src/history/test/HistoryTests.cpp b/src/history/test/HistoryTests.cpp
index b880f8ea69..059aa19a97 100644
--- a/src/history/test/HistoryTests.cpp
+++ b/src/history/test/HistoryTests.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #include "historywork/GzipFileWork.h"
 #include "historywork/PutHistoryArchiveStateWork.h"
 #include "ledger/LedgerManager.h"
-#include "main/ExternalQueue.h"
+#include "main/Maintainer.h"
 #include "main/PersistentState.h"
 #include "process/ProcessManager.h"
 #include "test/TestAccount.h"
@@ -1375,8 +1375,7 @@ TEST_CASE("persist publish queue", "[history][publish][acceptance]")
         REQUIRE(hm0.getMinLedgerQueuedToPublish() == 7);
 
         // Trim history after publishing.
-        ExternalQueue ps(*app0);
-        ps.deleteOldEntries(50000);
+        app0->getMaintainer().performMaintenance(50000);
     }
 
     cfg.MAX_CONCURRENT_SUBPROCESSES = 32;
@@ -1395,8 +1394,7 @@ TEST_CASE("persist publish queue", "[history][publish][acceptance]")
             clock.crank(true);
 
             // Trim history after publishing whenever possible.
-            ExternalQueue ps(*app1);
-            ps.deleteOldEntries(50000);
+            app1->getMaintainer().performMaintenance(50000);
         }
         // We should have either an empty publish queue or a
         // ledger sometime after the 5th checkpoint
diff --git a/src/main/ApplicationImpl.cpp b/src/main/ApplicationImpl.cpp
index 5be20c7342..420b344d45 100644
--- a/src/main/ApplicationImpl.cpp
+++ b/src/main/ApplicationImpl.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 #include "main/AppConnector.h"
 #include "main/ApplicationUtils.h"
 #include "main/CommandHandler.h"
-#include "main/ExternalQueue.h"
 #include "main/Maintainer.h"
 #include "main/StellarCoreVersion.h"
 #include "medida/counter.h"
@@ -872,9 +871,6 @@ ApplicationImpl::startServices()
 {
     // restores Herder's state before starting overlay
     mHerder->start();
-    // set known cursors before starting maintenance job
-    ExternalQueue ps(*this);
-    ps.setInitialCursors(mConfig.KNOWN_CURSORS);
     mMaintainer->start();
     if (mConfig.MODE_AUTO_STARTS_OVERLAY)
     {
diff --git a/src/main/CommandHandler.cpp b/src/main/CommandHandler.cpp
index e2e22dbe44..9c266f7684 100644
--- a/src/main/CommandHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/main/CommandHandler.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 #include "xdr/Stellar-transaction.h"
 #include "xdrpp/marshal.h"
 
-#include "ExternalQueue.h"
-
 #ifdef BUILD_TESTS
 #include "simulation/LoadGenerator.h"
 #include "test/TestAccount.h"
@@ -90,9 +88,6 @@ CommandHandler::CommandHandler(Application& app) : mApp(app)
     mServer->add404(std::bind(&CommandHandler::fileNotFound, this, _1, _2));
     if (mApp.getConfig().modeStoresAnyHistory())
     {
-        addRoute("dropcursor", &CommandHandler::dropcursor);
-        addRoute("getcursor", &CommandHandler::getcursor);
-        addRoute("setcursor", &CommandHandler::setcursor);
         addRoute("maintenance", &CommandHandler::maintenance);
     }
 
@@ -1011,77 +1006,6 @@ CommandHandler::tx(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr)
     retStr = Json::FastWriter().write(root);
 }
 
-void
-CommandHandler::dropcursor(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    std::map<std::string, std::string> map;
-    http::server::server::parseParams(params, map);
-    std::string const& id = map["id"];
-
-    if (!ExternalQueue::validateResourceID(id))
-    {
-        retStr = "Invalid resource id";
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        ExternalQueue ps(mApp);
-        ps.deleteCursor(id);
-        retStr = "Done";
-    }
-}
-
-void
-CommandHandler::setcursor(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    std::map<std::string, std::string> map;
-    http::server::server::parseParams(params, map);
-    std::string const& id = map["id"];
-
-    uint32 cursor = parseRequiredParam<uint32>(map, "cursor");
-
-    if (!ExternalQueue::validateResourceID(id))
-    {
-        retStr = "Invalid resource id";
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        ExternalQueue ps(mApp);
-        ps.setCursorForResource(id, cursor);
-        retStr = "Done";
-    }
-}
-
-void
-CommandHandler::getcursor(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    Json::Value root;
-    std::map<std::string, std::string> map;
-    http::server::server::parseParams(params, map);
-    std::string const& id = map["id"];
-
-    // the decision was made not to check validity here
-    // because there are subsequent checks for that in
-    // ExternalQueue and if an exception is thrown for
-    // validity there, the ret format is technically more
-    // correct for the mime type
-    ExternalQueue ps(mApp);
-    std::map<std::string, uint32> curMap;
-    int counter = 0;
-    ps.getCursorForResource(id, curMap);
-    root["cursors"][0];
-    for (auto cursor : curMap)
-    {
-        root["cursors"][counter]["id"] = cursor.first;
-        root["cursors"][counter]["cursor"] = cursor.second;
-        counter++;
-    }
-
-    retStr = root.toStyledString();
-}
-
 void
 CommandHandler::maintenance(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr)
 {
diff --git a/src/main/CommandHandler.h b/src/main/CommandHandler.h
index d259730286..8474f07a89 100644
--- a/src/main/CommandHandler.h
+++ b/src/main/CommandHandler.h
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ class CommandHandler
 
     void bans(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void connect(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
-    void dropcursor(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void dropPeer(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void info(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void ll(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
@@ -61,8 +60,6 @@ class CommandHandler
     void peers(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void selfCheck(std::string const&, std::string& retStr);
     void quorum(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
-    void setcursor(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
-    void getcursor(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void scpInfo(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void tx(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
     void unban(std::string const& params, std::string& retStr);
diff --git a/src/main/Config.cpp b/src/main/Config.cpp
index f8980fd2d6..4dbe1489f3 100644
--- a/src/main/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/main/Config.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 #include "herder/Herder.h"
 #include "history/HistoryArchive.h"
 #include "ledger/LedgerManager.h"
-#include "main/ExternalQueue.h"
 #include "main/StellarCoreVersion.h"
 #include "scp/LocalNode.h"
 #include "scp/QuorumSetUtils.h"
@@ -1127,18 +1126,6 @@ Config::processConfig(std::shared_ptr<cpptoml::table> t)
                  [&]() { BUCKETLIST_DB_PERSIST_INDEX = readBool(item); }},
                 {"METADATA_DEBUG_LEDGERS",
                  [&]() { METADATA_DEBUG_LEDGERS = readInt<uint32_t>(item); }},
-                {"KNOWN_CURSORS",
-                 [&]() {
-                     KNOWN_CURSORS = readArray<std::string>(item);
-                     for (auto const& c : KNOWN_CURSORS)
-                     {
-                         if (!ExternalQueue::validateResourceID(c))
-                         {
-                             throw std::invalid_argument(fmt::format(
-                                 FMT_STRING("invalid cursor: \"{}\""), c));
-                         }
-                     }
-                 }},
                 {"RUN_STANDALONE", [&]() { RUN_STANDALONE = readBool(item); }},
                 {"CATCHUP_COMPLETE",
                  [&]() { CATCHUP_COMPLETE = readBool(item); }},
diff --git a/src/main/Config.h b/src/main/Config.h
index 7ca4c082a4..cc8ca0175c 100644
--- a/src/main/Config.h
+++ b/src/main/Config.h
@@ -554,9 +554,6 @@ class Config : public std::enable_shared_from_this<Config>
     // at a premium.
     uint32_t METADATA_DEBUG_LEDGERS;
 
-    // Set of cursors added at each startup with value '1'.
-    std::vector<std::string> KNOWN_CURSORS;
-
     // maximum protocol version supported by the application, can be overridden
     // in tests
     uint32_t LEDGER_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
diff --git a/src/main/ExternalQueue.cpp b/src/main/ExternalQueue.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 61578971cb..0000000000
--- a/src/main/ExternalQueue.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,245 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2015 Stellar Development Foundation and contributors. Licensed
-// under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See the COPYING file at the root
-// of this distribution or at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-#include "ExternalQueue.h"
-
-#include "Application.h"
-#include "database/Database.h"
-#include "ledger/LedgerManager.h"
-#include "util/GlobalChecks.h"
-#include "util/Logging.h"
-#include <Tracy.hpp>
-#include <limits>
-#include <regex>
-
-namespace stellar
-{
-
-using namespace std;
-
-string ExternalQueue::kSQLCreateStatement =
-    "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS pubsub ("
-    "resid       CHARACTER(32) PRIMARY KEY,"
-    "lastread    INTEGER"
-    "); ";
-
-ExternalQueue::ExternalQueue(Application& app) : mApp(app)
-{
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::dropAll(Database& db)
-{
-    db.getSession() << "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS pubsub;";
-
-    soci::statement st = db.getSession().prepare << kSQLCreateStatement;
-    st.execute(true);
-}
-
-bool
-ExternalQueue::validateResourceID(std::string const& resid)
-{
-    static std::regex re("^[A-Z][A-Z0-9]{0,31}$");
-    return std::regex_match(resid, re);
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::setInitialCursors(std::vector<std::string> const& initialResids)
-{
-    for (auto const& resid : initialResids)
-    {
-        addCursorForResource(resid, 1);
-    }
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::addCursorForResource(std::string const& resid, uint32 cursor)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    if (getCursor(resid).empty())
-    {
-        setCursorForResource(resid, cursor);
-    }
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::setCursorForResource(std::string const& resid, uint32 cursor)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    checkID(resid);
-
-    std::string old(getCursor(resid));
-    if (old.empty())
-    {
-        ZoneNamedN(insertPubsubZone, "insert pubsub", true);
-        auto prep = mApp.getDatabase().getPreparedStatement(
-            "INSERT INTO pubsub (resid, lastread) VALUES (:n, :v);");
-        auto& st = prep.statement();
-        st.exchange(soci::use(resid));
-        st.exchange(soci::use(cursor));
-        st.define_and_bind();
-        st.execute(true);
-        if (st.get_affected_rows() != 1)
-        {
-            throw std::runtime_error("Could not insert data in SQL");
-        }
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        auto prep = mApp.getDatabase().getPreparedStatement(
-            "UPDATE pubsub SET lastread = :v WHERE resid = :n;");
-
-        auto& st = prep.statement();
-        st.exchange(soci::use(cursor));
-        st.exchange(soci::use(resid));
-        st.define_and_bind();
-        {
-            ZoneNamedN(updatePubsubZone, "update pubsub", true);
-            st.execute(true);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::getCursorForResource(std::string const& resid,
-                                    std::map<std::string, uint32>& curMap)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    // no resid set, get all cursors
-    if (resid.empty())
-    {
-        std::string n;
-        uint32_t v;
-
-        auto& db = mApp.getDatabase();
-        auto prep =
-            db.getPreparedStatement("SELECT resid, lastread FROM pubsub;");
-        auto& st = prep.statement();
-        st.exchange(soci::into(n));
-        st.exchange(soci::into(v));
-        st.define_and_bind();
-        {
-            ZoneNamedN(selectPubsubZone, "select pubsub", true);
-            st.execute(true);
-        }
-
-        while (st.got_data())
-        {
-            curMap[n] = v;
-            st.fetch();
-        }
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        // if resid is set attempt to look up the cursor
-        // and add it to the map if anything is found
-        std::string cursor = getCursor(resid);
-        if (!cursor.empty())
-        {
-            curMap[resid] = strtoul(cursor.c_str(), NULL, 0);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::deleteCursor(std::string const& resid)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    checkID(resid);
-
-    {
-        ZoneNamedN(deletePubsubZone, "delete pubsub", true);
-        auto prep = mApp.getDatabase().getPreparedStatement(
-            "DELETE FROM pubsub WHERE resid = :n;");
-        auto& st = prep.statement();
-        st.exchange(soci::use(resid));
-        st.define_and_bind();
-        st.execute(true);
-    }
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::deleteOldEntries(uint32 count)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    auto& db = mApp.getDatabase();
-    int m;
-    soci::indicator minIndicator;
-    soci::statement st =
-        (db.getSession().prepare << "SELECT MIN(lastread) FROM pubsub",
-         soci::into(m, minIndicator));
-    {
-        ZoneNamedN(selectPubsubZone, "select pubsub", true);
-        st.execute(true);
-    }
-
-    // rmin is the minimum of all last-reads, which means that remote
-    // subscribers are ok with us deleting any history N <= rmin.
-    // If we do not have subscribers, take this as maxint, and just
-    // use the LCL/checkpoint number (see below) to control trimming.
-    uint32_t rmin = std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max();
-    if (st.got_data() && minIndicator == soci::indicator::i_ok)
-    {
-        rmin = static_cast<uint32_t>(m);
-    }
-
-    // Next calculate the minimum of the LCL and/or any queued checkpoint.
-    uint32_t lcl = mApp.getLedgerManager().getLastClosedLedgerNum();
-    uint32_t ql = mApp.getHistoryManager().getMinLedgerQueuedToPublish();
-    uint32_t qmin = ql == 0 ? lcl : std::min(ql, lcl);
-
-    // Next calculate, given qmin, the first ledger it'd be _safe to
-    // delete_ while still keeping everything required to publish.
-    // So if qmin is (for example) 0x7f = 127, then we want to keep 64
-    // ledgers before that, and therefore can erase 0x3f = 63 and less.
-    uint32_t freq = mApp.getHistoryManager().getCheckpointFrequency();
-    uint32_t lmin = qmin >= freq ? qmin - freq : 0;
-
-    // Cumulative minimum is the lesser of the requirements of history
-    // publication and the requirements of our pubsub subscribers.
-    uint32_t cmin = std::min(lmin, rmin);
-
-    CLOG_INFO(History,
-              "Trimming history <= ledger {} (rmin={}, qmin={}, lmin={})", cmin,
-              rmin, qmin, lmin);
-
-    mApp.getLedgerManager().deleteOldEntries(mApp.getDatabase(), cmin, count);
-}
-
-void
-ExternalQueue::checkID(std::string const& resid)
-{
-    if (!validateResourceID(resid))
-    {
-        throw std::invalid_argument("invalid resource ID");
-    }
-}
-
-std::string
-ExternalQueue::getCursor(std::string const& resid)
-{
-    ZoneScoped;
-    checkID(resid);
-    std::string res;
-
-    auto& db = mApp.getDatabase();
-    auto prep = db.getPreparedStatement(
-        "SELECT lastread FROM pubsub WHERE resid = :n;");
-    auto& st = prep.statement();
-    st.exchange(soci::into(res));
-    st.exchange(soci::use(resid));
-    st.define_and_bind();
-    {
-        ZoneNamedN(selectPubsubZone, "select pubsub", true);
-        st.execute(true);
-    }
-
-    if (!st.got_data())
-    {
-        res.clear();
-    }
-
-    return res;
-}
-}
diff --git a/src/main/ExternalQueue.h b/src/main/ExternalQueue.h
deleted file mode 100644
index ba11598ba0..0000000000
--- a/src/main/ExternalQueue.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-// Copyright 2015 Stellar Development Foundation and contributors. Licensed
-// under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See the COPYING file at the root
-// of this distribution or at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-#include "main/Application.h"
-#include "xdr/Stellar-types.h"
-#include <string>
-
-namespace stellar
-{
-
-class ExternalQueue
-{
-  public:
-    ExternalQueue(Application& app);
-
-    static void dropAll(Database& db);
-
-    // checks if a given resource ID is well formed
-    static bool validateResourceID(std::string const& resid);
-
-    // sets initial cursors for given resource (if not already present)
-    void setInitialCursors(std::vector<std::string> const& initialResids);
-    // sets the cursor of a given resource if not already present
-    void addCursorForResource(std::string const& resid, uint32 cursor);
-    // sets the cursor of a given resource
-    void setCursorForResource(std::string const& resid, uint32 cursor);
-    // gets the cursor of a given resource, gets all cursors of resid is empty
-    void getCursorForResource(std::string const& resid,
-                              std::map<std::string, uint32>& curMap);
-    // deletes the subscription for the resource
-    void deleteCursor(std::string const& resid);
-
-    // safely delete data, maximum count entries from each table
-    void deleteOldEntries(uint32 count);
-
-  private:
-    void checkID(std::string const& resid);
-    std::string getCursor(std::string const& resid);
-
-    static std::string kSQLCreateStatement;
-
-    Application& mApp;
-};
-}
diff --git a/src/main/Maintainer.cpp b/src/main/Maintainer.cpp
index 7d28854c08..0b11d7658b 100644
--- a/src/main/Maintainer.cpp
+++ b/src/main/Maintainer.cpp
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 // of this distribution or at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 
 #include "main/Maintainer.h"
+#include "ledger/LedgerManager.h"
+#include "main/Application.h"
 #include "main/Config.h"
-#include "main/ExternalQueue.h"
 #include "util/GlobalChecks.h"
 #include "util/LogSlowExecution.h"
 #include "util/Logging.h"
@@ -72,7 +73,21 @@ Maintainer::performMaintenance(uint32_t count)
         "performance issue: check database or perform a large manual "
         "maintenance followed by database maintenance. Maintenance took",
         std::chrono::seconds{2});
-    ExternalQueue ps{mApp};
-    ps.deleteOldEntries(count);
+
+    // Calculate the minimum of the LCL and/or any queued checkpoint.
+    uint32_t lcl = mApp.getLedgerManager().getLastClosedLedgerNum();
+    uint32_t ql = mApp.getHistoryManager().getMinLedgerQueuedToPublish();
+    uint32_t qmin = ql == 0 ? lcl : std::min(ql, lcl);
+
+    // Next calculate, given qmin, the first ledger it'd be _safe to
+    // delete_ while still keeping everything required to publish.
+    // So if qmin is (for example) 0x7f = 127, then we want to keep 64
+    // ledgers before that, and therefore can erase 0x3f = 63 and less.
+    uint32_t freq = mApp.getHistoryManager().getCheckpointFrequency();
+    uint32_t lmin = qmin >= freq ? qmin - freq : 0;
+
+    CLOG_INFO(History, "Trimming history <= ledger {}", lmin);
+
+    mApp.getLedgerManager().deleteOldEntries(mApp.getDatabase(), lmin, count);
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/test/ExternalQueueTests.cpp b/src/main/test/ExternalQueueTests.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index e5af50427f..0000000000
--- a/src/main/test/ExternalQueueTests.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-#ifdef USE_POSTGRES
-// Copyright 2014 Stellar Development Foundation and contributors. Licensed
-// under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See the COPYING file at the root
-// of this distribution or at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-#include "lib/catch.hpp"
-#include "main/Application.h"
-#include "main/CommandHandler.h"
-#include "main/Config.h"
-#include "main/ExternalQueue.h"
-#include "simulation/Simulation.h"
-#include "test/TestUtils.h"
-#include "test/test.h"
-
-using namespace stellar;
-
-TEST_CASE("cursors", "[externalqueue]")
-{
-    VirtualClock clock;
-    Config const& cfg = getTestConfig(0, Config::TESTDB_POSTGRESQL);
-    Application::pointer app = createTestApplication(clock, cfg);
-
-    ExternalQueue ps(*app);
-    std::map<std::string, uint32> curMap;
-    app->getCommandHandler().manualCmd("setcursor?id=FOO&cursor=123");
-    app->getCommandHandler().manualCmd("setcursor?id=BAR&cursor=456");
-
-    SECTION("get non-existent cursor")
-    {
-        ps.getCursorForResource("NONEXISTENT", curMap);
-        REQUIRE(curMap.size() == 0);
-    }
-
-    SECTION("get single cursor")
-    {
-        ps.getCursorForResource("FOO", curMap);
-        REQUIRE(curMap.size() == 1);
-    }
-
-    SECTION("get all cursors")
-    {
-        ps.getCursorForResource("", curMap);
-        REQUIRE(curMap.size() == 2);
-    }
-}
-#endif