diff --git a/src/runtime/lexer.c b/src/runtime/lexer.c
index 5d76f3b2..599bea62 100644
--- a/src/runtime/lexer.c
+++ b/src/runtime/lexer.c
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ void ts_lexer_init(Lexer *self) {
       .payload = NULL,
       .log = NULL
     },
-    .last_external_token = NULL,
   };
   ts_lexer_reset(self, length_zero());
 }
@@ -134,7 +133,6 @@ static inline void ts_lexer__reset(Lexer *self, Length position) {
 void ts_lexer_set_input(Lexer *self, TSInput input) {
   self->input = input;
   ts_lexer__reset(self, length_zero());
-  ts_lexer_set_last_external_token(self, NULL);
 }
 
 void ts_lexer_reset(Lexer *self, Length position) {
@@ -157,9 +155,3 @@ void ts_lexer_start(Lexer *self) {
 void ts_lexer_advance_to_end(Lexer *self) {
   while (self->data.lookahead != 0) ts_lexer__advance(self, false);
 }
-
-void ts_lexer_set_last_external_token(Lexer *self, Tree *token) {
-  if (token) ts_tree_retain(token);
-  if (self->last_external_token) ts_tree_release(self->last_external_token);
-  self->last_external_token = token;
-}
diff --git a/src/runtime/lexer.h b/src/runtime/lexer.h
index cf0a1981..08a71a11 100644
--- a/src/runtime/lexer.h
+++ b/src/runtime/lexer.h
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ typedef struct {
   TSInput input;
   TSLogger logger;
   char debug_buffer[TREE_SITTER_SERIALIZATION_BUFFER_SIZE];
-  Tree *last_external_token;
 } Lexer;
 
 void ts_lexer_init(Lexer *);
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ void ts_lexer_set_input(Lexer *, TSInput);
 void ts_lexer_reset(Lexer *, Length);
 void ts_lexer_start(Lexer *);
 void ts_lexer_advance_to_end(Lexer *);
-void ts_lexer_set_last_external_token(Lexer *, Tree *);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/parser.c b/src/runtime/parser.c
index ca088d4a..66e83596 100644
--- a/src/runtime/parser.c
+++ b/src/runtime/parser.c
@@ -250,18 +250,15 @@ static CondenseResult parser__condense_stack(Parser *self) {
 }
 
 static void parser__restore_external_scanner(Parser *self, Tree *external_token) {
-  if (!ts_tree_external_token_state_eq(self->lexer.last_external_token, external_token)) {
-    LOG("restore_external_scanner");
-    ts_lexer_set_last_external_token(&self->lexer, external_token);
-    if (external_token) {
-      self->language->external_scanner.deserialize(
-        self->external_scanner_payload,
-        ts_external_token_state_data(&external_token->external_token_state),
-        external_token->external_token_state.length
-      );
-    } else {
-      self->language->external_scanner.deserialize(self->external_scanner_payload, NULL, 0);
-    }
+  LOG("restore_external_scanner");
+  if (external_token) {
+    self->language->external_scanner.deserialize(
+      self->external_scanner_payload,
+      ts_external_token_state_data(&external_token->external_token_state),
+      external_token->external_token_state.length
+    );
+  } else {
+    self->language->external_scanner.deserialize(self->external_scanner_payload, NULL, 0);
   }
 }
 
@@ -378,7 +375,6 @@ static Tree *parser__lex(Parser *self, StackVersion version) {
         self->lexer.debug_buffer
       );
       ts_external_token_state_init(&result->external_token_state, self->lexer.debug_buffer, length);
-      ts_lexer_set_last_external_token(&self->lexer, result);
     }
   }
 
@@ -1320,7 +1316,6 @@ void parser_destroy(Parser *self) {
     array_delete(&self->tree_path1);
   if (self->tree_path2.contents)
     array_delete(&self->tree_path2);
-  ts_lexer_set_last_external_token(&self->lexer, NULL);
   parser_set_language(self, NULL);
 }