diff --git a/halo2_proofs/src/plonk.rs b/halo2_proofs/src/plonk.rs
index 0fc98c50..64460e37 100644
--- a/halo2_proofs/src/plonk.rs
+++ b/halo2_proofs/src/plonk.rs
@@ -46,37 +46,6 @@ pub struct VerifyingKey<C: CurveAffine> {
 }
 
 impl<C: CurveAffine> VerifyingKey<C> {
-    /// Writes a verifying key to a buffer.
-    pub fn write<W: io::Write>(&self, writer: &mut W) -> io::Result<()> {
-        for commitment in &self.fixed_commitments {
-            writer.write_all(commitment.to_bytes().as_ref())?;
-        }
-        self.permutation.write(writer)?;
-
-        Ok(())
-    }
-
-    /// Reads a verification key from a buffer.
-    pub fn read<R: io::Read, ConcreteCircuit: Circuit<C::Scalar>>(
-        reader: &mut R,
-        params: &Params<C>,
-    ) -> io::Result<Self> {
-        let (domain, cs, _) = keygen::create_domain::<C, ConcreteCircuit>(params);
-
-        let fixed_commitments: Vec<_> = (0..cs.num_fixed_columns)
-            .map(|_| C::read(reader))
-            .collect::<Result<_, _>>()?;
-
-        let permutation = permutation::VerifyingKey::read(reader, &cs.permutation)?;
-
-        Ok(VerifyingKey {
-            domain,
-            fixed_commitments,
-            permutation,
-            cs,
-        })
-    }
-
     /// Hashes a verification key into a transcript.
     pub fn hash_into<E: EncodedChallenge<C>, T: Transcript<C, E>>(
         &self,
diff --git a/halo2_proofs/src/plonk/permutation.rs b/halo2_proofs/src/plonk/permutation.rs
index 96fecf43..2117ebab 100644
--- a/halo2_proofs/src/plonk/permutation.rs
+++ b/halo2_proofs/src/plonk/permutation.rs
@@ -78,23 +78,6 @@ pub(crate) struct VerifyingKey<C: CurveAffine> {
     commitments: Vec<C>,
 }
 
-impl<C: CurveAffine> VerifyingKey<C> {
-    pub(crate) fn write<W: io::Write>(&self, writer: &mut W) -> io::Result<()> {
-        for commitment in &self.commitments {
-            writer.write_all(commitment.to_bytes().as_ref())?;
-        }
-
-        Ok(())
-    }
-
-    pub(crate) fn read<R: io::Read>(reader: &mut R, argument: &Argument) -> io::Result<Self> {
-        let commitments = (0..argument.columns.len())
-            .map(|_| C::read(reader))
-            .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?;
-        Ok(VerifyingKey { commitments })
-    }
-}
-
 /// The proving key for a single permutation argument.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct ProvingKey<C: CurveAffine> {
diff --git a/halo2_proofs/tests/plonk_api.rs b/halo2_proofs/tests/plonk_api.rs
index 38cf49ea..1b6a94ae 100644
--- a/halo2_proofs/tests/plonk_api.rs
+++ b/halo2_proofs/tests/plonk_api.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ use halo2_proofs::pasta::{Eq, EqAffine, Fp};
 use halo2_proofs::plonk::{
     create_proof, keygen_pk, keygen_vk, verify_proof, Advice, BatchVerifier, Circuit, Column,
     ConstraintSystem, Error, Fixed, SingleVerifier, TableColumn, VerificationStrategy,
-    VerifyingKey,
 };
 use halo2_proofs::poly::commitment::{Guard, MSM};
 use halo2_proofs::poly::{commitment::Params, Rotation};
@@ -565,21 +564,11 @@ fn plonk_api() {
             )
             .unwrap();
 
-            // Write and then read the verification key in between (to check round-trip
-            // serialization).
-            // TODO: Figure out whether https://github.com/zcash/halo2/issues/449 should
-            // be caught by this, or if it is caused by downstream changes to halo2.
-            let mut vk_buffer = vec![];
-            pk.get_vk().write(&mut vk_buffer).unwrap();
-            let vk =
-                VerifyingKey::<EqAffine>::read::<_, MyCircuit<Fp>>(&mut &vk_buffer[..], &params)
-                    .unwrap();
-
             // "Second" proof (just the first proof again).
             let mut transcript = Blake2bRead::<_, _, Challenge255<_>>::init(&proof[..]);
             let strategy = verify_proof(
                 &params,
-                &vk,
+                pk.get_vk(),
                 strategy,
                 &[&[&pubinputs[..]], &[&pubinputs[..]]],
                 &mut transcript,