diff --git a/app/models/synapse.rb b/app/models/synapse.rb
index 37c9c72d..08512e4f 100644
--- a/app/models/synapse.rb
+++ b/app/models/synapse.rb
@@ -36,11 +36,7 @@ class Synapse < ApplicationRecord
     end
   end
 
-  def calculated_permission
-    defer_to_map&.permission || permission
-  end
-
   def as_json(_options = {})
-    super(methods: [:user_name, :user_image, :calculated_permission, :collaborator_ids])
+    super(methods: [:user_name, :user_image, :collaborator_ids])
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/topic.rb b/app/models/topic.rb
index 85f670c3..4881b9c6 100644
--- a/app/models/topic.rb
+++ b/app/models/topic.rb
@@ -75,12 +75,8 @@ class Topic < ApplicationRecord
     Pundit.policy_scope(user, maps).map(&:id)
   end
 
-  def calculated_permission
-    defer_to_map&.permission || permission
-  end
-
   def as_json(options = {})
-    super(methods: [:user_name, :user_image, :calculated_permission, :collaborator_ids])
+    super(methods: [:user_name, :user_image, :collaborator_ids])
       .merge(inmaps: inmaps(options[:user]), inmapsLinks: inmapsLinks(options[:user]),
              map_count: map_count(options[:user]), synapse_count: synapse_count(options[:user]))
   end
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js
index 5f2a6b88..e6a7f1c7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ const Synapse = Backbone.Model.extend({
 
     newOptions.success = function(model, response, opt) {
       if (s) s(model, response, opt)
-      model.set('calculated_permission', model.get('permission'))
       model.trigger('saved')
 
       if (permBefore === 'private' && model.get('permission') !== 'private') {
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ const Synapse = Backbone.Model.extend({
       </li>`
   },
   authorizeToEdit: function(mapper) {
-    if (mapper && (this.get('calculated_permission') === 'commons' || this.get('collaborator_ids').includes(mapper.get('id')) || this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id'))) return true
+    if (mapper && (this.get('permission') === 'commons' || this.get('collaborator_ids').includes(mapper.get('id')) || this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id'))) return true
     else return false
   },
   authorizePermissionChange: function(mapper) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js
index dff635f2..0d71c973 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ const Topic = Backbone.Model.extend({
 
     newOptions.success = function(model, response, opt) {
       if (s) s(model, response, opt)
-      model.set('calculated_permission', model.get('permission'))
       model.trigger('saved')
 
       if (permBefore === 'private' && model.get('permission') !== 'private') {
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ const Topic = Backbone.Model.extend({
   authorizeToEdit: function(mapper) {
     if (mapper &&
       (this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id') ||
-      this.get('calculated_permission') === 'commons' ||
+      this.get('permission') === 'commons' ||
       this.get('collaborator_ids').includes(mapper.get('id')))) {
       return true
     } else {
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Import.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Import.js
index 7d1b3aa3..deb71048 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Import.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Import.js
@@ -295,8 +295,7 @@ const Import = {
       permission: topicPermision,
       defer_to_map_id: deferToMapId,
       desc: desc || '',
-      link: link || '',
-      calculated_permission: Active.Map.get('permission')
+      link: link || ''
     })
     DataModel.Topics.add(topic)
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/SynapseCard.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/SynapseCard.js
index b7b58821..d2feb03a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/SynapseCard.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/SynapseCard.js
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ const SynapseCard = {
 
   add_perms_form: function(synapse) {
     // permissions - if owner, also allow permission editing
-    $('#editSynLowerBar').append('<div class="mapPerm ' + synapse.get('calculated_permission').substring(0, 2) + '"></div>')
+    $('#editSynLowerBar').append('<div class="mapPerm ' + synapse.get('permission').substring(0, 2) + '"></div>')
 
     // ability to change permission
     var selectingPermission = false
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/TopicCard.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/TopicCard.js
index 71140bdd..3fa9a999 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/TopicCard.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/TopicCard.js
@@ -448,8 +448,8 @@ const TopicCard = {
         nodeValues.inmaps += '<li class="hideExtra extraText"><a href="' + url + '">' + inmapsAr[i] + '</a></li>'
       }
     }
-    nodeValues.permission = topic.get('calculated_permission')
-    nodeValues.mk_permission = topic.get('calculated_permission').substring(0, 2)
+    nodeValues.permission = topic.get('permission')
+    nodeValues.mk_permission = topic.get('permission').substring(0, 2)
     nodeValues.map_count = topic.get('map_count').toString()
     nodeValues.synapse_count = topic.get('synapse_count').toString()
     nodeValues.id = topic.isNew() ? topic.cid : topic.id