diff --git a/internal/coordinator/pool/ec2.go b/internal/coordinator/pool/ec2.go
index 712764c..866b480 100644
--- a/internal/coordinator/pool/ec2.go
+++ b/internal/coordinator/pool/ec2.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@
 		Zone:     "", // allow the EC2 api pick an availability zone with capacity
 		TLS:      kp,
 		Meta:     make(map[string]string),
-		DeleteIn: determineDeleteTimeout(ctx, hconf, eb.vmDeleteTimeout),
+		DeleteIn: determineDeleteTimeout(hconf, eb.vmDeleteTimeout),
 		OnInstanceRequested: func() {
 			log.Printf("EC2 VM %q now booting", instName)
 		},
diff --git a/internal/coordinator/pool/gce.go b/internal/coordinator/pool/gce.go
index 5dad67f..629d165 100644
--- a/internal/coordinator/pool/gce.go
+++ b/internal/coordinator/pool/gce.go
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@
 
 	log.Printf("Creating GCE VM %q for %s at %s", instName, hostType, zone)
 	bc, err = buildlet.StartNewVM(gcpCreds, buildEnv, instName, hostType, buildlet.VMOpts{
-		DeleteIn: determineDeleteTimeout(ctx, hconf, deleteTimeout),
+		DeleteIn: determineDeleteTimeout(hconf, deleteTimeout),
 		OnInstanceRequested: func() {
 			log.Printf("GCE VM %q now booting", instName)
 		},
diff --git a/internal/coordinator/pool/kube.go b/internal/coordinator/pool/kube.go
index c6db75c..3e762b2 100644
--- a/internal/coordinator/pool/kube.go
+++ b/internal/coordinator/pool/kube.go
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@
 		ProjectID:     NewGCEConfiguration().BuildEnv().ProjectName,
 		ImageRegistry: registryPrefix,
 		Description:   fmt.Sprintf("Go Builder for %s", hostType),
-		DeleteIn:      determineDeleteTimeout(ctx, hconf, podDeleteTimeout),
+		DeleteIn:      determineDeleteTimeout(hconf, podDeleteTimeout),
 		OnPodCreating: func() {
 			lg.LogEventTime("pod_creating")
 			p.setPodUsed(podName, true)
diff --git a/internal/coordinator/pool/pool.go b/internal/coordinator/pool/pool.go
index c42a173..6fa00ca 100644
--- a/internal/coordinator/pool/pool.go
+++ b/internal/coordinator/pool/pool.go
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@
 	"golang.org/x/build/dashboard"
 )
 
-// BuildletTimeoutOpt is a context.Value key for BuildletPool.GetBuildlet.
-type BuildletTimeoutOpt struct{} // context Value key; value is time.Duration
-
 // Buildlet defines an interface for a pool of buildlets.
 type Buildlet interface {
 	// GetBuildlet returns a new buildlet client.
@@ -32,9 +29,6 @@
 	//
 	// Users of GetBuildlet must both call Client.Close when done
 	// with the client as well as cancel the provided Context.
-	//
-	// The ctx may have context values of type buildletTimeoutOpt
-	// and highPriorityOpt.
 	GetBuildlet(ctx context.Context, hostType string, lg Logger) (buildlet.Client, error)
 
 	String() string // TODO(bradfitz): more status stuff
@@ -77,18 +71,11 @@
 // determineDeleteTimeout determines the buildlet timeout duration with the
 // following priority:
 //
-// 1. Value from context
-// 2. Host type default from host config.
-// 3. Global default from 'timeout'.
-func determineDeleteTimeout(ctx context.Context, host *dashboard.HostConfig, timeout time.Duration) time.Duration {
-	deleteIn, ok := ctx.Value(BuildletTimeoutOpt{}).(time.Duration)
-	if ok {
-		return deleteIn
-	}
-
-	deleteIn = host.DeleteTimeout
-	if deleteIn != 0 {
-		return deleteIn
+// 1. Host type default from host config.
+// 2. Global default from 'timeout'.
+func determineDeleteTimeout(host *dashboard.HostConfig, timeout time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	if host.DeleteTimeout != 0 {
+		return host.DeleteTimeout
 	}
 
 	return timeout
diff --git a/internal/coordinator/pool/pool_test.go b/internal/coordinator/pool/pool_test.go
index e1955c4..266d1cd 100644
--- a/internal/coordinator/pool/pool_test.go
+++ b/internal/coordinator/pool/pool_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 package pool
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -18,28 +17,18 @@
 func TestPoolDetermineDeleteTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
 		desc        string
-		ctxValue    interface{}
 		hostValue   time.Duration
 		timeout     time.Duration
 		wantTimeout time.Duration
 	}{
 		{
-			desc:        "from-context",
-			ctxValue:    time.Hour,
-			hostValue:   time.Minute,
-			timeout:     time.Second,
-			wantTimeout: time.Hour,
-		},
-		{
 			desc:        "from-host",
-			ctxValue:    nil,
 			hostValue:   time.Minute,
 			timeout:     time.Second,
 			wantTimeout: time.Minute,
 		},
 		{
 			desc:        "from-argument",
-			ctxValue:    nil,
 			hostValue:   0,
 			timeout:     time.Second,
 			wantTimeout: time.Second,
@@ -47,15 +36,11 @@
 	}
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		t.Run(tc.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
-			ctx := context.Background()
-			if tc.ctxValue != nil {
-				ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, BuildletTimeoutOpt{}, tc.ctxValue)
-			}
 			h := &dashboard.HostConfig{
 				DeleteTimeout: tc.hostValue,
 			}
-			if got := determineDeleteTimeout(ctx, h, tc.timeout); got != tc.wantTimeout {
-				t.Errorf("determineDeleteTimeout(%+v, %+v, %s) = %s; want %s", ctx, h, tc.timeout, got, tc.wantTimeout)
+			if got := determineDeleteTimeout(h, tc.timeout); got != tc.wantTimeout {
+				t.Errorf("determineDeleteTimeout(%+v, %s) = %s; want %s", h, tc.timeout, got, tc.wantTimeout)
 			}
 		})
 	}