diff --git a/src/libstore/daemon.cc b/src/libstore/daemon.cc
index 164a9b2be..3df88ff03 100644
--- a/src/libstore/daemon.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/daemon.cc
@@ -624,9 +624,9 @@ static void performOp(TunnelLogger * logger, ref<Store> store,
         break;
     }
 
+    // Obsolete.
     case wopSyncWithGC: {
         logger->startWork();
-        store->syncWithGC();
         logger->stopWork();
         to << 1;
         break;
diff --git a/src/libstore/gc.cc b/src/libstore/gc.cc
index 5de09d8c2..18328467b 100644
--- a/src/libstore/gc.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/gc.cc
@@ -71,12 +71,6 @@ static void makeSymlink(const Path & link, const Path & target)
 }
 
 
-void LocalStore::syncWithGC()
-{
-    AutoCloseFD fdGCLock = openGCLock(ltRead);
-}
-
-
 void LocalStore::addIndirectRoot(const Path & path)
 {
     string hash = hashString(htSHA1, path).to_string(Base32, false);
@@ -95,6 +89,12 @@ Path LocalFSStore::addPermRoot(const StorePath & storePath, const Path & _gcRoot
                 "creating a garbage collector root (%1%) in the Nix store is forbidden "
                 "(are you running nix-build inside the store?)", gcRoot);
 
+    /* Register this root with the garbage collector, if it's
+       running. This should be superfluous since the caller should
+       have registered this root yet, but let's be on the safe
+       side. */
+    addTempRoot(storePath);
+
     /* Don't clobber the link if it already exists and doesn't
        point to the Nix store. */
     if (pathExists(gcRoot) && (!isLink(gcRoot) || !isInStore(readLink(gcRoot))))
@@ -102,11 +102,6 @@ Path LocalFSStore::addPermRoot(const StorePath & storePath, const Path & _gcRoot
     makeSymlink(gcRoot, printStorePath(storePath));
     addIndirectRoot(gcRoot);
 
-    /* Grab the global GC root, causing us to block while a GC is in
-       progress.  This prevents the set of permanent roots from
-       increasing while a GC is in progress. */
-    syncWithGC();
-
     return gcRoot;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/local-store.hh b/src/libstore/local-store.hh
index 5215c9f02..3b3f26162 100644
--- a/src/libstore/local-store.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/local-store.hh
@@ -148,8 +148,6 @@ public:
 
     void addIndirectRoot(const Path & path) override;
 
-    void syncWithGC() override;
-
 private:
 
     typedef std::shared_ptr<AutoCloseFD> FDPtr;
diff --git a/src/libstore/remote-store.cc b/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
index fa5ea8af7..7decc059c 100644
--- a/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
@@ -797,15 +797,6 @@ void RemoteStore::addIndirectRoot(const Path & path)
 }
 
 
-void RemoteStore::syncWithGC()
-{
-    auto conn(getConnection());
-    conn->to << wopSyncWithGC;
-    conn.processStderr();
-    readInt(conn->from);
-}
-
-
 Roots RemoteStore::findRoots(bool censor)
 {
     auto conn(getConnection());
diff --git a/src/libstore/remote-store.hh b/src/libstore/remote-store.hh
index ac1eaa19e..a3036e6b0 100644
--- a/src/libstore/remote-store.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/remote-store.hh
@@ -101,8 +101,6 @@ public:
 
     void addIndirectRoot(const Path & path) override;
 
-    void syncWithGC() override;
-
     Roots findRoots(bool censor) override;
 
     void collectGarbage(const GCOptions & options, GCResults & results) override;
diff --git a/src/libstore/store-api.hh b/src/libstore/store-api.hh
index 54471bdf2..35461b76d 100644
--- a/src/libstore/store-api.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/store-api.hh
@@ -561,26 +561,6 @@ public:
     virtual void addIndirectRoot(const Path & path)
     { unsupported("addIndirectRoot"); }
 
-    /* Acquire the global GC lock, then immediately release it.  This
-       function must be called after registering a new permanent root,
-       but before exiting.  Otherwise, it is possible that a running
-       garbage collector doesn't see the new root and deletes the
-       stuff we've just built.  By acquiring the lock briefly, we
-       ensure that either:
-
-       - The collector is already running, and so we block until the
-         collector is finished.  The collector will know about our
-         *temporary* locks, which should include whatever it is we
-         want to register as a permanent lock.
-
-       - The collector isn't running, or it's just started but hasn't
-         acquired the GC lock yet.  In that case we get and release
-         the lock right away, then exit.  The collector scans the
-         permanent root and sees ours.
-
-       In either case the permanent root is seen by the collector. */
-    virtual void syncWithGC() { };
-
     /* Find the roots of the garbage collector.  Each root is a pair
        (link, storepath) where `link' is the path of the symlink
        outside of the Nix store that point to `storePath'. If