diff --git a/validation/Cargo.lock b/validation/Cargo.lock
index 9d0c502..1cd6cde 100644
--- a/validation/Cargo.lock
+++ b/validation/Cargo.lock
@@ -41,12 +41,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "anyhow"
-version = "1.0.94"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c1fd03a028ef38ba2276dce7e33fcd6369c158a1bca17946c4b1b701891c1ff7"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "api"
 version = "0.1.0"
@@ -105,39 +99,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "url",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "async-stream"
-version = "0.3.6"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0b5a71a6f37880a80d1d7f19efd781e4b5de42c88f0722cc13bcb6cc2cfe8476"
-dependencies = [
- "async-stream-impl",
- "futures-core",
- "pin-project-lite",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "async-stream-impl"
-version = "0.3.6"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c7c24de15d275a1ecfd47a380fb4d5ec9bfe0933f309ed5e705b775596a3574d"
-dependencies = [
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "syn",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "async-trait"
-version = "0.1.83"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "721cae7de5c34fbb2acd27e21e6d2cf7b886dce0c27388d46c4e6c47ea4318dd"
-dependencies = [
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "syn",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "atomic-waker"
 version = "1.1.2"
@@ -150,53 +111,6 @@ version = "1.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ace50bade8e6234aa140d9a2f552bbee1db4d353f69b8217bc503490fc1a9f26"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "axum"
-version = "0.7.9"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "edca88bc138befd0323b20752846e6587272d3b03b0343c8ea28a6f819e6e71f"
-dependencies = [
- "async-trait",
- "axum-core",
- "bytes",
- "futures-util",
- "http",
- "http-body",
- "http-body-util",
- "itoa",
- "matchit",
- "memchr",
- "mime",
- "percent-encoding",
- "pin-project-lite",
- "rustversion",
- "serde",
- "sync_wrapper",
- "tower 0.5.2",
- "tower-layer",
- "tower-service",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "axum-core"
-version = "0.4.5"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "09f2bd6146b97ae3359fa0cc6d6b376d9539582c7b4220f041a33ec24c226199"
-dependencies = [
- "async-trait",
- "bytes",
- "futures-util",
- "http",
- "http-body",
- "http-body-util",
- "mime",
- "pin-project-lite",
- "rustversion",
- "sync_wrapper",
- "tower-layer",
- "tower-service",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "backtrace"
 version = "0.3.74"
@@ -477,12 +391,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "subtle",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "either"
-version = "1.13.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "60b1af1c220855b6ceac025d3f6ecdd2b7c4894bfe9cd9bda4fbb4bc7c0d4cf0"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "encoding_rs"
 version = "0.8.35"
@@ -688,19 +596,13 @@ dependencies = [
  "futures-core",
  "futures-sink",
  "http",
- "indexmap 2.7.0",
+ "indexmap",
  "slab",
  "tokio",
  "tokio-util",
  "tracing",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "hashbrown"
-version = "0.12.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "8a9ee70c43aaf417c914396645a0fa852624801b24ebb7ae78fe8272889ac888"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "hashbrown"
 version = "0.15.2"
@@ -747,12 +649,6 @@ version = "1.9.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7d71d3574edd2771538b901e6549113b4006ece66150fb69c0fb6d9a2adae946"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "httpdate"
-version = "1.0.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "df3b46402a9d5adb4c86a0cf463f42e19994e3ee891101b1841f30a545cb49a9"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "hyper"
 version = "1.5.1"
@@ -766,7 +662,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "http",
  "http-body",
  "httparse",
- "httpdate",
  "itoa",
  "pin-project-lite",
  "smallvec",
@@ -791,19 +686,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "tower-service",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "hyper-timeout"
-version = "0.5.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2b90d566bffbce6a75bd8b09a05aa8c2cb1fabb6cb348f8840c9e4c90a0d83b0"
-dependencies = [
- "hyper",
- "hyper-util",
- "pin-project-lite",
- "tokio",
- "tower-service",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "hyper-tls"
 version = "0.6.0"
@@ -1001,16 +883,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "icu_properties",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "indexmap"
-version = "1.9.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "bd070e393353796e801d209ad339e89596eb4c8d430d18ede6a1cced8fafbd99"
-dependencies = [
- "autocfg",
- "hashbrown 0.12.3",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "indexmap"
 version = "2.7.0"
@@ -1018,7 +890,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "62f822373a4fe84d4bb149bf54e584a7f4abec90e072ed49cda0edea5b95471f"
 dependencies = [
  "equivalent",
- "hashbrown 0.15.2",
+ "hashbrown",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1027,15 +899,6 @@ version = "2.10.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ddc24109865250148c2e0f3d25d4f0f479571723792d3802153c60922a4fb708"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "itertools"
-version = "0.13.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "413ee7dfc52ee1a4949ceeb7dbc8a33f2d6c088194d9f922fb8318faf1f01186"
-dependencies = [
- "either",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "itoa"
 version = "1.0.14"
@@ -1113,20 +976,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "rbx_dom_weak",
  "rbx_reflection_database",
  "rbx_xml",
- "rust-grpc",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "siphasher",
  "tokio",
- "tonic",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "matchit"
-version = "0.7.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0e7465ac9959cc2b1404e8e2367b43684a6d13790fe23056cc8c6c5a6b7bcb94"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "memchr"
 version = "2.7.4"
@@ -1402,40 +1257,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "syn",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "prost"
-version = "0.13.4"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2c0fef6c4230e4ccf618a35c59d7ede15dea37de8427500f50aff708806e42ec"
-dependencies = [
- "bytes",
- "prost-derive",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "prost-derive"
-version = "0.13.4"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "157c5a9d7ea5c2ed2d9fb8f495b64759f7816c7eaea54ba3978f0d63000162e3"
-dependencies = [
- "anyhow",
- "itertools",
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "syn",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "prost-types"
-version = "0.13.3-serde1"
-source = "sparse+https://git.itzana.me/api/packages/strafesnet/cargo/"
-checksum = "8819b8aaed4d56560ff473ee45247539098b6fba5c8748a429903c499d5bc4a9"
-dependencies = [
- "prost",
- "serde",
- "serde_json",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "quote"
 version = "1.0.37"
@@ -1676,18 +1497,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "rust-grpc"
-version = "1.0.3"
-source = "sparse+https://git.itzana.me/api/packages/strafesnet/cargo/"
-checksum = "9d241d8d3ce1f24ce54ead69478676d138526bc0d44bb51bea2d87e5d8e3af22"
-dependencies = [
- "prost",
- "prost-types",
- "serde",
- "tonic",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "rustc-demangle"
 version = "0.1.24"
@@ -1781,12 +1590,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "untrusted",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "rustversion"
-version = "1.0.18"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0e819f2bc632f285be6d7cd36e25940d45b2391dd6d9b939e79de557f7014248"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "ryu"
 version = "1.0.18"
@@ -2189,17 +1992,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "tokio",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "tokio-stream"
-version = "0.1.17"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "eca58d7bba4a75707817a2c44174253f9236b2d5fbd055602e9d5c07c139a047"
-dependencies = [
- "futures-core",
- "pin-project-lite",
- "tokio",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "tokio-util"
 version = "0.7.13"
@@ -2234,76 +2026,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "tokio-util",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "tonic"
-version = "0.12.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "877c5b330756d856ffcc4553ab34a5684481ade925ecc54bcd1bf02b1d0d4d52"
-dependencies = [
- "async-stream",
- "async-trait",
- "axum",
- "base64 0.22.1",
- "bytes",
- "h2",
- "http",
- "http-body",
- "http-body-util",
- "hyper",
- "hyper-timeout",
- "hyper-util",
- "percent-encoding",
- "pin-project",
- "prost",
- "socket2",
- "tokio",
- "tokio-stream",
- "tower 0.4.13",
- "tower-layer",
- "tower-service",
- "tracing",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tower"
-version = "0.4.13"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "b8fa9be0de6cf49e536ce1851f987bd21a43b771b09473c3549a6c853db37c1c"
-dependencies = [
- "futures-core",
- "futures-util",
- "indexmap 1.9.3",
- "pin-project",
- "pin-project-lite",
- "rand",
- "slab",
- "tokio",
- "tokio-util",
- "tower-layer",
- "tower-service",
- "tracing",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tower"
-version = "0.5.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "d039ad9159c98b70ecfd540b2573b97f7f52c3e8d9f8ad57a24b916a536975f9"
-dependencies = [
- "futures-core",
- "futures-util",
- "pin-project-lite",
- "sync_wrapper",
- "tower-layer",
- "tower-service",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tower-layer"
-version = "0.3.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "121c2a6cda46980bb0fcd1647ffaf6cd3fc79a013de288782836f6df9c48780e"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "tower-service"
 version = "0.3.3"
diff --git a/validation/Cargo.toml b/validation/Cargo.toml
index d3cbcc8..14f0c61 100644
--- a/validation/Cargo.toml
+++ b/validation/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@ rbx_binary = { version = "0.7.4", registry = "strafesnet"}
 rbx_dom_weak = { version = "2.9.0", registry = "strafesnet"}
 rbx_reflection_database = { version = "0.2.12", registry = "strafesnet"}
 rbx_xml = { version = "0.13.3", registry = "strafesnet"}
-rust-grpc = { version = "1.0.3", registry = "strafesnet" }
 serde = { version = "1.0.215", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1.0.133"
 siphasher = "1.0.1"
 tokio = { version = "1.41.1", features = ["macros", "rt-multi-thread", "signal"] }
-tonic = "0.12.3"
diff --git a/validation/src/main.rs b/validation/src/main.rs
index 54a1cdd..0e9ab1b 100644
--- a/validation/src/main.rs
+++ b/validation/src/main.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ pub enum StartupError{
 	NatsGetStream(async_nats::jetstream::context::GetStreamError),
 	NatsConsumer(async_nats::jetstream::stream::ConsumerError),
 	NatsStream(async_nats::jetstream::consumer::StreamError),
-	GRPCConnect(tonic::transport::Error),
 }
 impl std::fmt::Display for StartupError{
 	fn fmt(&self,f:&mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>)->std::fmt::Result{
@@ -23,9 +22,6 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for StartupError{
 }
 impl std::error::Error for StartupError{}
 
-// annoying mile-long type
-pub type MapsServiceClient=rust_grpc::maps::maps_service_client::MapsServiceClient<tonic::transport::channel::Channel>;
-
 pub const GROUP_STRAFESNET:u64=6980477;
 
 pub const PARALLEL_REQUESTS:usize=16;
@@ -56,18 +52,13 @@ async fn main()->Result<(),StartupError>{
 			.messages().await.map_err(StartupError::NatsStream)
 	};
 
-	// data-service grpc for creating map entries
-	let data_host=std::env::var("DATA_HOST").expect("DATA_HOST env required");
-	let message_handler_fut=async{
-		let maps_grpc=crate::MapsServiceClient::connect(data_host).await.map_err(StartupError::GRPCConnect)?;
-		Ok(message_handler::MessageHandler::new(cookie_context,api,maps_grpc))
-	};
+	let message_handler=message_handler::MessageHandler::new(cookie_context,api);
 
 	// Create a signal listener for SIGTERM
 	let mut sig_term=tokio::signal::unix::signal(tokio::signal::unix::SignalKind::terminate()).expect("Failed to create SIGTERM signal listener");
 
 	// run futures
-	let (mut messages,message_handler)=tokio::try_join!(nats_fut,message_handler_fut)?;
+	let mut messages=nats_fut.await?;
 
 	// process up to PARALLEL_REQUESTS in parallel
 	let main_loop=async move{
diff --git a/validation/src/message_handler.rs b/validation/src/message_handler.rs
index a15162e..db8b02d 100644
--- a/validation/src/message_handler.rs
+++ b/validation/src/message_handler.rs
@@ -27,10 +27,9 @@ impl MessageHandler{
 	pub fn new(
 		cookie_context:rbx_asset::cookie::CookieContext,
 		api:api::Context,
-		maps_grpc:crate::MapsServiceClient,
 	)->Self{
 		Self{
-			publish_new:crate::publish_new::Publisher::new(cookie_context.clone(),api.clone(),maps_grpc),
+			publish_new:crate::publish_new::Publisher::new(cookie_context.clone(),api.clone()),
 			publish_fix:crate::publish_fix::Publisher::new(cookie_context.clone(),api.clone()),
 			validator:crate::validator::Validator::new(cookie_context,api),
 		}
diff --git a/validation/src/publish_new.rs b/validation/src/publish_new.rs
index 6778aad..9dbc2d4 100644
--- a/validation/src/publish_new.rs
+++ b/validation/src/publish_new.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ pub enum PublishError{
 	Json(serde_json::Error),
 	Create(rbx_asset::cookie::CreateError),
 	SystemTime(std::time::SystemTimeError),
-	MapCreate(tonic::Status),
 	ApiActionSubmissionPublish(api::Error),
 }
 impl std::fmt::Display for PublishError{
@@ -20,18 +19,15 @@ impl std::error::Error for PublishError{}
 pub struct Publisher{
 	roblox_cookie:rbx_asset::cookie::CookieContext,
 	api:api::Context,
-	maps_grpc:crate::MapsServiceClient,
 }
 impl Publisher{
 	pub const fn new(
 		roblox_cookie:rbx_asset::cookie::CookieContext,
 		api:api::Context,
-		maps_grpc:crate::MapsServiceClient,
 	)->Self{
 		Self{
 			roblox_cookie,
 			api,
-			maps_grpc,
 		}
 	}
 	pub async fn publish(&self,message:async_nats::jetstream::Message)->Result<(),PublishError>{
@@ -54,25 +50,6 @@ impl Publisher{
 			groupId:Some(crate::GROUP_STRAFESNET),
 		},model_data).await.map_err(PublishError::Create)?;
 
-		// create the map entry in the game database, including release date
-		self.maps_grpc.clone().create(rust_grpc::maps::MapRequest{
-			id:upload_response.AssetId as i64,
-			display_name:Some(publish_info.DisplayName),
-			creator:Some(publish_info.Creator),
-			game_id:Some(publish_info.GameID as i32),
-			// TODO: scheduling algorithm
-			date:Some(
-				// Publish one week from now
-				(
-					std::time::SystemTime::now()
-					+std::time::Duration::from_secs(7*24*60*60)
-				)
-				.duration_since(std::time::SystemTime::UNIX_EPOCH)
-				.map_err(PublishError::SystemTime)?
-				.as_secs() as i64
-			),
-		}).await.map_err(PublishError::MapCreate)?;
-
 		// mark submission as published
 		self.api.action_submission_publish(
 			api::SubmissionID(publish_info.SubmissionID)