diff --git a/coreapi/client.py b/coreapi/client.py
index 00b0057..b005eae 100644
--- a/coreapi/client.py
+++ b/coreapi/client.py
@@ -1,19 +1,15 @@
 from coreapi import codecs, exceptions, transports
 from coreapi.compat import string_types
-from coreapi.document import Document, Link
+from coreapi.document import Link
 from coreapi.utils import determine_transport, get_installed_codecs
-import collections
 import itypes
 
 
-LinkAncestor = collections.namedtuple('LinkAncestor', ['document', 'keys'])
-
-
 def _lookup_link(document, keys):
     """
     Validates that keys looking up a link are correct.
 
-    Returns a two-tuple of (link, link_ancestors).
+    Returns the Link.
     """
     if not isinstance(keys, (list, tuple)):
         msg = "'keys' must be a list of strings or ints."
@@ -28,7 +24,6 @@ def _lookup_link(document, keys):
     # 'node' is the link we're calling the action for.
     # 'document_keys' is the list of keys to the link's parent document.
     node = document
-    link_ancestors = [LinkAncestor(document=document, keys=[])]
     for idx, key in enumerate(keys):
         try:
             node = node[key]
@@ -36,9 +31,6 @@ def _lookup_link(document, keys):
             index_string = ''.join('[%s]' % repr(key).strip('u') for key in keys)
             msg = 'Index %s did not reference a link. Key %s was not found.'
             raise exceptions.LinkLookupError(msg % (index_string, repr(key).strip('u')))
-        if isinstance(node, Document):
-            ancestor = LinkAncestor(document=node, keys=keys[:idx + 1])
-            link_ancestors.append(ancestor)
 
     # Ensure that we've correctly indexed into a link.
     if not isinstance(node, Link):
@@ -48,7 +40,7 @@ def _lookup_link(document, keys):
             msg % (index_string, type(node).__name__)
         )
 
-    return (node, link_ancestors)
+    return node
 
 
 def _validate_parameters(link, parameters):
@@ -140,8 +132,8 @@ def reload(self, document, format=None, force_codec=False):
         return self.get(document.url, format=format, force_codec=force_codec)
 
     def action(self, document, keys, params=None, validate=True, overrides=None,
-               action=None, encoding=None, transform=None):
-        if (action is not None) or (encoding is not None) or (transform is not None):
+               action=None, encoding=None):
+        if (action is not None) or (encoding is not None):
             # Fallback for v1.x overrides.
             # Will be removed at some point, most likely in a 2.1 release.
             if overrides is None:
@@ -150,8 +142,6 @@ def action(self, document, keys, params=None, validate=True, overrides=None,
                 overrides['action'] = action
             if encoding is not None:
                 overrides['encoding'] = encoding
-            if transform is not None:
-                overrides['transform'] = transform
 
         if isinstance(keys, string_types):
             keys = [keys]
@@ -160,7 +150,7 @@ def action(self, document, keys, params=None, validate=True, overrides=None,
             params = {}
 
         # Validate the keys and link parameters.
-        link, link_ancestors = _lookup_link(document, keys)
+        link = _lookup_link(document, keys)
         if validate:
             _validate_parameters(link, params)
 
@@ -169,10 +159,9 @@ def action(self, document, keys, params=None, validate=True, overrides=None,
             url = overrides.get('url', link.url)
             action = overrides.get('action', link.action)
             encoding = overrides.get('encoding', link.encoding)
-            transform = overrides.get('transform', link.transform)
             fields = overrides.get('fields', link.fields)
-            link = Link(url, action=action, encoding=encoding, transform=transform, fields=fields)
+            link = Link(url, action=action, encoding=encoding, fields=fields)
 
         # Perform the action, and return a new document.
         transport = determine_transport(self.transports, link.url)
-        return transport.transition(link, self.decoders, params=params, link_ancestors=link_ancestors)
+        return transport.transition(link, self.decoders, params=params)
diff --git a/coreapi/codecs/corejson.py b/coreapi/codecs/corejson.py
index f025533..92facc4 100644
--- a/coreapi/codecs/corejson.py
+++ b/coreapi/codecs/corejson.py
@@ -196,8 +196,6 @@ def _document_to_primitive(node, base_url=None):
             ret['action'] = node.action
         if node.encoding:
             ret['encoding'] = node.encoding
-        if node.transform:
-            ret['transform'] = node.transform
         if node.title:
             ret['title'] = node.title
         if node.description:
@@ -264,7 +262,6 @@ def _primitive_to_document(data, base_url=None):
         url = urlparse.urljoin(base_url, url)
         action = _get_string(data, 'action')
         encoding = _get_string(data, 'encoding')
-        transform = _get_string(data, 'transform')
         title = _get_string(data, 'title')
         description = _get_string(data, 'description')
         fields = _get_list(data, 'fields')
@@ -278,7 +275,7 @@ def _primitive_to_document(data, base_url=None):
             for item in fields if isinstance(item, dict)
         ]
         return Link(
-            url=url, action=action, encoding=encoding, transform=transform,
+            url=url, action=action, encoding=encoding,
             title=title, description=description, fields=fields
         )
 
diff --git a/coreapi/codecs/python.py b/coreapi/codecs/python.py
index 6265a28..6feec4e 100644
--- a/coreapi/codecs/python.py
+++ b/coreapi/codecs/python.py
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ def _to_repr(node):
             args += ", action=%s" % repr(node.action)
         if node.encoding:
             args += ", encoding=%s" % repr(node.encoding)
-        if node.transform:
-            args += ", transform=%s" % repr(node.transform)
         if node.description:
             args += ", description=%s" % repr(node.description)
         if node.fields:
diff --git a/coreapi/document.py b/coreapi/document.py
index c6c9ceb..dd498dc 100644
--- a/coreapi/document.py
+++ b/coreapi/document.py
@@ -187,15 +187,13 @@ class Link(itypes.Object):
     """
     Links represent the actions that a client may perform.
     """
-    def __init__(self, url=None, action=None, encoding=None, transform=None, title=None, description=None, fields=None):
+    def __init__(self, url=None, action=None, encoding=None, title=None, description=None, fields=None):
         if (url is not None) and (not isinstance(url, string_types)):
             raise TypeError("Argument 'url' must be a string.")
         if (action is not None) and (not isinstance(action, string_types)):
             raise TypeError("Argument 'action' must be a string.")
         if (encoding is not None) and (not isinstance(encoding, string_types)):
             raise TypeError("Argument 'encoding' must be a string.")
-        if (transform is not None) and (not isinstance(transform, string_types)):
-            raise TypeError("Argument 'transform' must be a string.")
         if (title is not None) and (not isinstance(title, string_types)):
             raise TypeError("Argument 'title' must be a string.")
         if (description is not None) and (not isinstance(description, string_types)):
@@ -211,7 +209,6 @@ def __init__(self, url=None, action=None, encoding=None, transform=None, title=N
         self._url = '' if (url is None) else url
         self._action = '' if (action is None) else action
         self._encoding = '' if (encoding is None) else encoding
-        self._transform = '' if (transform is None) else transform
         self._title = '' if (title is None) else title
         self._description = '' if (description is None) else description
         self._fields = () if (fields is None) else tuple([
@@ -231,10 +228,6 @@ def action(self):
     def encoding(self):
         return self._encoding
 
-    @property
-    def transform(self):
-        return self._transform
-
     @property
     def title(self):
         return self._title
@@ -253,7 +246,6 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
             self.url == other.url and
             self.action == other.action and
             self.encoding == other.encoding and
-            self.transform == other.transform and
             self.description == other.description and
             sorted(self.fields, key=lambda f: f.name) == sorted(other.fields, key=lambda f: f.name)
         )
diff --git a/coreapi/transports/http.py b/coreapi/transports/http.py
index 7338e61..5b78fc7 100644
--- a/coreapi/transports/http.py
+++ b/coreapi/transports/http.py
@@ -305,32 +305,6 @@ def _decode_result(response, decoders, force_codec=False):
     return result
 
 
-def _handle_inplace_replacements(document, link, link_ancestors):
-    """
-    Given a new document, and the link/ancestors it was created,
-    determine if we should:
-
-    * Make an inline replacement and then return the modified document tree.
-    * Return the new document as-is.
-    """
-    if not link.transform:
-        if link.action.lower() in ('put', 'patch', 'delete'):
-            transform = 'inplace'
-        else:
-            transform = 'new'
-    else:
-        transform = link.transform
-
-    if transform == 'inplace':
-        root = link_ancestors[0].document
-        keys_to_link_parent = link_ancestors[-1].keys
-        if document is None:
-            return root.delete_in(keys_to_link_parent)
-        return root.set_in(keys_to_link_parent, document)
-
-    return document
-
-
 class HTTPTransport(BaseTransport):
     schemes = ['http', 'https']
 
@@ -366,7 +340,7 @@ def __init__(self, credentials=None, headers=None, auth=None, session=None, requ
     def headers(self):
         return self._headers
 
-    def transition(self, link, decoders, params=None, link_ancestors=None, force_codec=False):
+    def transition(self, link, decoders, params=None, force_codec=False):
         session = self._session
         method = _get_method(link.action)
         encoding = _get_encoding(link.encoding)
@@ -380,9 +354,6 @@ def transition(self, link, decoders, params=None, link_ancestors=None, force_cod
         response = session.send(request, **settings)
         result = _decode_result(response, decoders, force_codec)
 
-        if isinstance(result, Document) and link_ancestors:
-            result = _handle_inplace_replacements(result, link, link_ancestors)
-
         if isinstance(result, Error):
             raise exceptions.ErrorMessage(result)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_codecs.py b/tests/test_codecs.py
index 32458cd..2475293 100644
--- a/tests/test_codecs.py
+++ b/tests/test_codecs.py
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ def test_link_encodings(json_codec):
     doc = Document(content={
         'link': Link(
             action='post',
-            transform='inplace',
             fields=['optional', Field('required', required=True, location='path')]
         )
     })
@@ -204,7 +203,6 @@ def test_link_encodings(json_codec):
     "link": {
         "_type": "link",
         "action": "post",
-        "transform": "inplace",
         "fields": [
             {
                 "name": "optional"
diff --git a/tests/test_document.py b/tests/test_document.py
index 6b06de7..c985fa9 100644
--- a/tests/test_document.py
+++ b/tests/test_document.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ def doc():
             'link': Link(
                 url='/',
                 action='post',
-                transform='inplace',
                 fields=['optional', Field('required', required=True, location='path')]
             ),
             'nested': {'child': Link(url='/123')}
@@ -224,7 +223,7 @@ def test_document_repr(doc):
         "'integer': 123, "
         "'list': [1, 2, 3], "
         "'nested': {'child': Link(url='/123')}, "
-        "'link': Link(url='/', action='post', transform='inplace', "
+        "'link': Link(url='/', action='post', "
         "fields=['optional', Field('required', required=True, location='path')])"
         "})"
     )
@@ -345,7 +344,6 @@ def test_document_equality(doc):
         'link': Link(
             url='/',
             action='post',
-            transform='inplace',
             fields=['optional', Field('required', required=True, location='path')]
         ),
         'nested': {'child': Link(url='/123')}
@@ -424,11 +422,6 @@ def test_link_action_must_be_string():
         Link(action=123)
 
 
-def test_link_transform_must_be_string():
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
-        Link(transform=123)
-
-
 def test_link_fields_must_be_list():
     with pytest.raises(TypeError):
         Link(fields=123)
diff --git a/tests/test_transitions.py b/tests/test_transitions.py
index a31ba13..28e2ad0 100644
--- a/tests/test_transitions.py
+++ b/tests/test_transitions.py
@@ -1,24 +1,14 @@
 # coding: utf-8
 from coreapi import Document, Link, Client
 from coreapi.transports import HTTPTransport
-from coreapi.transports.http import _handle_inplace_replacements
 import pytest
 
 
 class MockTransport(HTTPTransport):
     schemes = ['mock']
 
-    def transition(self, link, decoders, params=None, link_ancestors=None):
-        if link.action == 'get':
-            document = Document(title='new', content={'new': 123})
-        elif link.action in ('put', 'post'):
-            if params is None:
-                params = {}
-            document = Document(title='new', content={'new': 123, 'foo': params.get('foo')})
-        else:
-            document = None
-
-        return _handle_inplace_replacements(document, link, link_ancestors)
+    def transition(self, link, decoders, params=None):
+        return {'action': link.action, 'params': params}
 
 
 client = Client(transports=[MockTransport()])
@@ -29,7 +19,6 @@ def doc():
     return Document(title='original', content={
         'nested': Document(content={
             'follow': Link(url='mock://example.com', action='get'),
-            'action': Link(url='mock://example.com', action='post', transform='inplace', fields=['foo']),
             'create': Link(url='mock://example.com', action='post', fields=['foo']),
             'update': Link(url='mock://example.com', action='put', fields=['foo']),
             'delete': Link(url='mock://example.com', action='delete')
@@ -40,44 +29,27 @@ def doc():
 # Test valid transitions.
 
 def test_get(doc):
-    new = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'follow'])
-    assert new == {'new': 123}
-    assert new.title == 'new'
-
-
-def test_inline_post(doc):
-    new = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'action'], params={'foo': 123})
-    assert new == {'nested': {'new': 123, 'foo': 123}}
-    assert new.title == 'original'
+    data = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'follow'])
+    assert data == {'action': 'get', 'params': {}}
 
 
 def test_post(doc):
-    new = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'create'], params={'foo': 456})
-    assert new == {'new': 123, 'foo': 456}
-    assert new.title == 'new'
+    data = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'create'], params={'foo': 456})
+    assert data == {'action': 'post', 'params': {'foo': 456}}
 
 
 def test_put(doc):
-    new = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'update'], params={'foo': 789})
-    assert new == {'nested': {'new': 123, 'foo': 789}}
-    assert new.title == 'original'
+    data = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'update'], params={'foo': 789})
+    assert data == {'action': 'put', 'params': {'foo': 789}}
 
 
 def test_delete(doc):
-    new = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'delete'])
-    assert new == {}
-    assert new.title == 'original'
+    data = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'delete'])
+    assert data == {'action': 'delete', 'params': {}}
 
 
 # Test overrides
 
 def test_override_action(doc):
-    new = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'follow'], overrides={'action': 'put'})
-    assert new == {'nested': {'new': 123, 'foo': None}}
-    assert new.title == 'original'
-
-
-def test_override_transform(doc):
-    new = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'update'], params={'foo': 456}, overrides={'transform': 'new'})
-    assert new == {'new': 123, 'foo': 456}
-    assert new.title == 'new'
+    data = client.action(doc, ['nested', 'follow'], overrides={'action': 'put'})
+    assert data == {'action': 'put', 'params': {}}