diff --git a/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_context.ml b/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_context.ml
index 53da0768c..14a09c3fe 100644
--- a/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_context.ml
+++ b/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_context.ml
@@ -120,10 +120,8 @@ let originate_contract rpc_config
 
 let faucet rpc_config block ?force ?branch ~manager_pkh () =
   get_branch rpc_config block branch >>=? fun (net_id, branch) ->
-  Client_proto_rpcs.Context.faucet_counter rpc_config block >>=? fun pcounter ->
-  let counter = Int32.succ pcounter in
   Client_proto_rpcs.Helpers.Forge.Anonymous.faucet
-    rpc_config block ~net_id ~branch ~id:manager_pkh counter >>=? fun bytes ->
+    rpc_config block ~net_id ~branch ~id:manager_pkh () >>=? fun bytes ->
   originate rpc_config ?force ~block bytes
 
 let delegate_contract rpc_config
diff --git a/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.ml b/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.ml
index 5f6054bb2..6b954f21b 100644
--- a/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.ml
+++ b/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.ml
@@ -77,9 +77,6 @@ module Context = struct
   let next_level cctxt block =
     call_error_service1 cctxt Services.Context.next_level block ()
 
-  let faucet_counter cctxt block =
-    call_error_service1 cctxt Services.Context.faucet_counter block ()
-
   let voting_period_kind cctxt block =
     call_error_service1 cctxt Services.Context.voting_period_kind block ()
 
@@ -262,9 +259,9 @@ module Helpers = struct
           block ~net_id ~branch ~level ~nonce () =
         operations cctxt block ~net_id ~branch [Seed_nonce_revelation { level ; nonce }]
       let faucet cctxt
-          block ~net_id ~branch ~id counter =
+          block ~net_id ~branch ~id () =
         let nonce = Sodium.Random.Bigbytes.generate 16 in
-        operations cctxt block ~net_id ~branch [Faucet { id ; counter ; nonce }]
+        operations cctxt block ~net_id ~branch [Faucet { id ; nonce }]
     end
     let empty_proof_of_work_nonce =
       MBytes.of_string
diff --git a/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.mli b/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.mli
index 68c201e5a..e0ff11ecb 100644
--- a/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.mli
+++ b/src/client/embedded/alpha/client_proto_rpcs.mli
@@ -65,10 +65,6 @@ module Context : sig
   (** [next_level cctxt blk] returns the (protocol view of the) level
       of the successor of [blk]. *)
 
-  val faucet_counter:
-    Client_rpcs.config ->
-    block -> int32 tzresult Lwt.t
-
   val voting_period_kind:
     Client_rpcs.config ->
     block -> Voting_period.kind tzresult Lwt.t
@@ -335,7 +331,7 @@ module Helpers : sig
         net_id:Net_id.t ->
         branch:Block_hash.t ->
         id:public_key_hash ->
-        int32 -> MBytes.t tzresult Lwt.t
+        unit -> MBytes.t tzresult Lwt.t
     end
     val block_proto_header:
       Client_rpcs.config ->
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/apply.ml b/src/proto/alpha/apply.ml
index 474bf91ee..6cbf00747 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/apply.ml
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/apply.ml
@@ -198,9 +198,7 @@ let apply_anonymous_operation ctxt miner_contract origination_nonce kind =
               ctxt contract Constants.seed_nonce_revelation_tip >>=? fun ctxt ->
             return (ctxt, origination_nonce)
       end
-  | Faucet { id = manager ; counter } ->
-      Contract.check_faucet_counter_increment ctxt counter >>=? fun () ->
-      Contract.increment_faucet_counter ctxt >>=? fun ctxt ->
+  | Faucet { id = manager } ->
       (* Free tez for all! *)
       begin
         match miner_contract with
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.ml b/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.ml
index 5581c455e..59a25dc35 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.ml
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.ml
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ type error +=
   | Cannot_pay_storage_fee of Contract_repr.contract * Tez_repr.t * Tez_repr.t (* `Temporary *)
   | Counter_in_the_past of Contract_repr.contract * int32 * int32 (* `Branch *)
   | Counter_in_the_future of Contract_repr.contract * int32 * int32 (* `Temporary *)
-  | Faucet_counter_in_the_past of int32 * int32 (* `Branch *)
-  | Faucet_counter_in_the_future of int32 * int32 (* `Temporary *)
   | Unspendable_contract of Contract_repr.contract (* `Permanent *)
   | Non_existing_contract of Contract_repr.contract (* `Temporary *)
   | Non_delegatable_contract of Contract_repr.contract (* `Permanent *)
@@ -107,36 +105,6 @@ let () =
          (req "found" int32))
     (function Counter_in_the_past (c, x, y) -> Some (c, x, y) | _ -> None)
     (fun (c, x, y) -> Counter_in_the_past (c, x, y)) ;
-  register_error_kind
-    `Temporary
-    ~id:"contract.faucet_counter_in_the_future"
-    ~title:"Invalid faucet counter (not yet reached) in a manager operation"
-    ~description:"An operation assumed a faucet counter in the future"
-    ~pp:(fun ppf (exp, found) ->
-        Format.fprintf ppf
-          "Faucet counter %ld not yet reached (expected %ld)"
-          found exp)
-    Data_encoding.
-      (obj2
-         (req "expected" int32)
-         (req "found" int32))
-    (function Faucet_counter_in_the_future (x, y) -> Some (x, y) | _ -> None)
-    (fun (x, y) -> Faucet_counter_in_the_future (x, y)) ;
-  register_error_kind
-    `Branch
-    ~id:"contract.faucet_counter_in_the_past"
-    ~title:"Invalid faucet counter (already used) in a manager operation"
-    ~description:"An operation assumed a faucet counter in the past"
-    ~pp:(fun ppf (exp, found) ->
-        Format.fprintf ppf
-          "Faucet counter %ld already used (expected %ld)"
-          found exp)
-    Data_encoding.
-      (obj2
-         (req "expected" int32)
-         (req "found" int32))
-    (function Faucet_counter_in_the_past (x, y) -> Some (x, y) | _ -> None)
-    (fun (x, y) -> Faucet_counter_in_the_past (x, y)) ;
   register_error_kind
     `Temporary
     ~id:"contract.non_existing_contract"
@@ -260,23 +228,6 @@ let increment_counter c contract =
   Storage.Contract.Counter.get c contract >>=? fun contract_counter ->
   Storage.Contract.Counter.set c contract (Int32.succ contract_counter)
 
-let get_faucet_counter c =
-  Storage.Contract.Faucet_counter.get c
-
-let check_faucet_counter_increment c counter =
-  Storage.Contract.Faucet_counter.get c >>=? fun faucet_counter ->
-  let expected = Int32.succ faucet_counter in
-  if Compare.Int32.(expected = counter)
-  then return ()
-  else if Compare.Int32.(expected > counter) then
-    fail (Faucet_counter_in_the_past (expected, counter))
-  else
-    fail (Faucet_counter_in_the_future (expected, counter))
-
-let increment_faucet_counter c =
-  Storage.Contract.Faucet_counter.get c >>=? fun faucet_counter ->
-  Storage.Contract.Faucet_counter.set c (Int32.succ faucet_counter)
-
 let get_script c contract =
   Storage.Contract.Code.get_option c contract >>=? fun code ->
   Storage.Contract.Storage.get_option c contract >>=? fun storage ->
@@ -416,5 +367,4 @@ let originate c nonce ~balance ~manager ?script ~delegate ~spendable ~delegatabl
   return (c, contract, nonce)
 
 let init c =
-  Storage.Contract.Faucet_counter.init c 0l >>=? fun c ->
   Storage.Contract.Global_counter.init c 0l
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.mli b/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.mli
index c09d2f768..57a841b30 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.mli
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/contract_storage.mli
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@ val list: Storage.t -> Contract_repr.t list tzresult Lwt.t
 val check_counter_increment: Storage.t -> Contract_repr.t -> int32 -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
 val increment_counter: Storage.t -> Contract_repr.t -> Storage.t tzresult Lwt.t
 
-val get_faucet_counter: Storage.t -> int32 tzresult Lwt.t
-val check_faucet_counter_increment: Storage.t -> int32 -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
-val increment_faucet_counter: Storage.t -> Storage.t tzresult Lwt.t
-
 val is_delegatable : Storage.t -> Contract_repr.t -> bool tzresult Lwt.t
 val is_spendable : Storage.t -> Contract_repr.t -> bool tzresult Lwt.t
 
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.ml b/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.ml
index 11628eb6c..b7df5f4f5 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.ml
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.ml
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ and anonymous_operation =
     }
   | Faucet of {
       id: Ed25519.Public_key_hash.t ;
-      counter: counter ;
       nonce: MBytes.t ;
     }
 
@@ -284,19 +283,18 @@ module Encoding = struct
       (fun ((), level, nonce) -> Seed_nonce_revelation { level ; nonce })
 
   let faucet_encoding =
-    (obj4
+    (obj3
        (req "kind" (constant "faucet"))
        (req "id" Ed25519.Public_key_hash.encoding)
-       (req "counter" int32)
        (req "nonce" (Fixed.bytes 16)))
 
   let faucet_case tag =
     case ~tag faucet_encoding
       (function
-        | Faucet { id ; counter ; nonce } -> Some ((), id, counter, nonce)
+        | Faucet { id ; nonce } -> Some ((), id, nonce)
         | _ -> None
       )
-      (fun ((), id, counter, nonce) -> Faucet { id ; counter ; nonce })
+      (fun ((), id, nonce) -> Faucet { id ; nonce })
 
   let unsigned_operation_case tag =
     case ~tag
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.mli b/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.mli
index cc2536b9a..c8e0e5ab2 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.mli
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/operation_repr.mli
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ and anonymous_operation =
     }
   | Faucet of {
       id: Ed25519.Public_key_hash.t ;
-      counter: counter ;
       nonce: MBytes.t ;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/services.ml b/src/proto/alpha/services.ml
index b0bcbd244..4e518f41f 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/services.ml
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/services.ml
@@ -161,13 +161,6 @@ module Context = struct
                 describe ~title: "detailled level info" Level.encoding)
       RPC.Path.(custom_root / "context" / "next_level")
 
-  let faucet_counter custom_root =
-    RPC.service
-      ~description: "Access the global faucet counter."
-      ~input: empty
-      ~output: (wrap_tzerror int32)
-      RPC.Path.(custom_root / "context" / "faucet_counter")
-
   let voting_period_kind custom_root =
     RPC.service
       ~description: "Voting period kind for the current block"
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/services_registration.ml b/src/proto/alpha/services_registration.ml
index e5cd39e22..c16306f8c 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/services_registration.ml
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/services_registration.ml
@@ -158,8 +158,6 @@ let next_level ctxt =
 
 let () = register0 Services.Context.next_level next_level
 
-let () = register0 Services.Context.faucet_counter Contract.get_faucet_counter
-
 let () =
   register0 Services.Context.voting_period_kind Vote.get_current_period_kind
 
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/storage.ml b/src/proto/alpha/storage.ml
index 1512032bd..8b9adaffe 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/storage.ml
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/storage.ml
@@ -108,8 +108,6 @@ module Key = struct
 
   let global_counter = store_root ["global_counter"]
 
-  let faucet_counter = store_root ["faucet_counter"]
-
   let next_cycle_to_be_rewarded = store_root ["next_cycle_to_be_rewarded"]
   let rewards = store_root ["rewards"]
 
@@ -267,14 +265,6 @@ module Contract = struct
       let encoding = Data_encoding.int32
     end)
 
-  module Faucet_counter =
-    Make_single_data_storage(struct
-      type value = int32
-      let name = "faucet counter"
-      let key = Key.faucet_counter
-      let encoding = Data_encoding.int32
-    end)
-
   (** FIXME REMOVE : use 'list' *)
   module Set =
     Make_data_set_storage(struct
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/storage.mli b/src/proto/alpha/storage.mli
index 839bd3a8b..45ae2110e 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/storage.mli
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/storage.mli
@@ -122,12 +122,6 @@ module Contract : sig
     val init : t -> int32 -> t tzresult Lwt.t
   end
 
-  module Faucet_counter : sig
-    val get : t -> int32 tzresult Lwt.t
-    val set : t -> int32 -> t tzresult Lwt.t
-    val init : t -> int32 -> t tzresult Lwt.t
-  end
-
   (** The domain of alive contracts *)
   module Set : Data_set_storage
     with type value = Contract_repr.t
diff --git a/src/proto/alpha/tezos_context.mli b/src/proto/alpha/tezos_context.mli
index 0565df5d9..a20dbe343 100644
--- a/src/proto/alpha/tezos_context.mli
+++ b/src/proto/alpha/tezos_context.mli
@@ -369,12 +369,6 @@ module Contract : sig
   val check_counter_increment:
     context -> contract -> int32 -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
 
-  val get_faucet_counter: context -> int32 tzresult Lwt.t
-
-  val check_faucet_counter_increment: context -> int32 -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
-
-  val increment_faucet_counter: context -> context tzresult Lwt.t
-
 end
 
 module Vote : sig
@@ -441,7 +435,6 @@ and anonymous_operation =
     }
   | Faucet of {
       id: Ed25519.Public_key_hash.t ;
-      counter: counter ;
       nonce: MBytes.t ;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/tezos-deps.opam b/src/tezos-deps.opam
index c626a4045..8b8979109 100644
--- a/src/tezos-deps.opam
+++ b/src/tezos-deps.opam
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ depends: [
   "calendar"
   "cohttp" {>= "0.21" }
   "conduit"
+  "ezjsonm" {= "0.4.3" }
   "git"
   "git-unix"
   "ipv6-multicast"
   "irmin-watcher" (* for `irmin.unix` *)
-  "ezjsonm" {= "0.4.3" }
   "irmin" {>= "0.12" & < "1.0" }
   "lwt" {>= "3.0.0" }
   "lwt_ssl"