diff --git a/R/dotify.R b/R/dotify.R
index 77f49bc..1759128 100644
--- a/R/dotify.R
+++ b/R/dotify.R
@@ -16,35 +16,13 @@ dotify <- function() {
 
   # make sure we have a handlers environment
   codetools <- asNamespace("codetools")
-  handlers <- codetools$collectUsageHandlers
-  if (!is.environment(handlers))
+  collectUsageHandlers <- codetools$collectUsageHandlers
+  if (!is.environment(collectUsageHandlers))
     return()
 
-  # make sure we have 'isUtilsVar'
-  if (!exists("isUtilsVar", envir = codetools))
-    return()
-
-  # check if 'isUtilsVar' has changed in an unexpected way
-  isUtilsVar <- codetools$isUtilsVar
-  expected <- pairlist(v = quote(expr = ), env = quote(expr = ))
-  if (!identical(formals(isUtilsVar), expected))
-    return()
-
-  # tell codetools to accept our code's handlers
-  # TODO: ask Luke nicely to allow us to do this
-  if (.BaseNamespaceEnv$bindingIsLocked("isUtilsVar", env = codetools)) {
-    .BaseNamespaceEnv$unlockBinding("isUtilsVar", env = codetools)
-    on.exit(.BaseNamespaceEnv$lockBinding("isUtilsVar", env = codetools), add = TRUE)
-  }
-
-  # replace the binding
-  hack <- function(v, env) TRUE
-  environment(hack) <- codetools
-  assign("isUtilsVar", hack, envir = codetools)
-
   # add our handler for subset-assignment
-  handler <- handlers$`[<-` %||% function(v, w) {}
-  handlers$`[<-` <- function(v, w) {
+  handler <- collectUsageHandlers$`[<-` %||% function(v, w) {}
+  collectUsageHandlers$`[<-` <- function(v, w) {
 
     # only handle dotty calls
     if (!identical(v[[2L]], dot)) {
@@ -68,8 +46,4 @@ dotify <- function() {
 
   }
 
-  # included just for testing
-  .[a, b] <- c(1, 2)
-  c(a, b)
-
 }