diff --git a/git_cl.py b/git_cl.py
index 74ece83abb..7b5b52e7cc 100755
--- a/git_cl.py
+++ b/git_cl.py
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ import split_cl
 import subcommand
 import subprocess2
 import swift_format
-import watchlists
 
 
 __version__ = '2.0'
@@ -2009,9 +2008,6 @@ class Changelist(object):
         files = self.GetAffectedFiles(parent, end_commit=end_commit)
         change_desc = self._GetDescriptionForUpload(options,
                                                     [parent, end_commit], files)
-
-        watchlist = watchlists.Watchlists(settings.GetRoot())
-        self.ExtendCC(watchlist.GetWatchersForPaths(files))
         if not options.bypass_hooks:
             hook_results = self.RunHook(committing=False,
                                         may_prompt=not options.force,
@@ -2121,12 +2117,7 @@ class Changelist(object):
 
         print(f'Processing {_GetCommitCountSummary(*git_diff_args)}...')
 
-        # Apply watchlists on upload.
-        watchlist = watchlists.Watchlists(settings.GetRoot())
         files = self.GetAffectedFiles(base_branch)
-        if not options.bypass_watchlists:
-            self.ExtendCC(watchlist.GetWatchersForPaths(files))
-
         change_desc = self._GetDescriptionForUpload(options, git_diff_args,
                                                     files)
         if not options.bypass_hooks:
@@ -4847,7 +4838,8 @@ def CMDupload(parser, args):
     parser.add_option('--bypass-watchlists',
                       action='store_true',
                       dest='bypass_watchlists',
-                      help='bypass watchlists auto CC-ing reviewers')
+                      help='DEPRECATED: bypass watchlists auto CC-ing '
+                      'reviewers. This no longer has any effect.')
     parser.add_option('-f',
                       '--force',
                       action='store_true',
@@ -5037,6 +5029,9 @@ def CMDupload(parser, args):
     if options.skip_title and options.title:
         parser.error('Only one of --title and --skip-title allowed.')
 
+    if options.bypass_watchlists:
+        print('The --bypass-watchlists flag is deprecated and has no effect.')
+
     if options.use_commit_queue:
         options.send_mail = True
 
diff --git a/tests/git_cl_test.py b/tests/git_cl_test.py
index 8d7f4dc1ff..b70d8c5687 100755
--- a/tests/git_cl_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_cl_test.py
@@ -113,15 +113,6 @@ class GitMocks(object):
         del self.config[key]
 
 
-class WatchlistsMock(object):
-    def __init__(self, _):
-        pass
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def GetWatchersForPaths(_):
-        return ['joe@example.com']
-
-
 class CodereviewSettingsFileMock(object):
     def __init__(self):
         pass
@@ -612,7 +603,6 @@ class TestGitCl(unittest.TestCase):
                    return_value={
                        'more_cc': ['test-more-cc@chromium.org']
                    }).start()
-        mock.patch('git_cl.watchlists.Watchlists', WatchlistsMock).start()
         mock.patch('git_cl.auth.Authenticator', AuthenticatorMock).start()
         mock.patch('gerrit_util.GetChangeDetail').start()
         mock.patch(
@@ -939,7 +929,7 @@ class TestGitCl(unittest.TestCase):
                 ref_suffix_list.append('r=%s' % r)
                 metrics_arguments.append('r')
             if issue is None:
-                cc += ['test-more-cc@chromium.org', 'joe@example.com']
+                cc += ['test-more-cc@chromium.org']
             for c in sorted(cc):
                 ref_suffix_list.append('cc=%s' % c)
                 metrics_arguments.append('cc')
@@ -948,21 +938,18 @@ class TestGitCl(unittest.TestCase):
             # TODO(crbug/877717): remove this case.
             calls += [(('ValidAccounts',
                         '%s-review.googlesource.com' % short_hostname,
-                        sorted(reviewers) +
-                        ['joe@example.com', 'test-more-cc@chromium.org'] + cc),
+                        sorted(reviewers) + ['test-more-cc@chromium.org'] + cc),
                        {
                            e: {
                                'email': e
                            }
-                           for e in (reviewers + ['joe@example.com'] + cc)
+                           for e in (reviewers + cc)
                        })]
             for r in sorted(reviewers):
                 if r != 'bad-account-or-email':
                     ref_suffix_list.append('r=%s' % r)
                     metrics_arguments.append('r')
                     reviewers.remove(r)
-            if issue is None:
-                cc += ['joe@example.com']
             for c in sorted(cc):
                 ref_suffix_list.append('cc=%s' % c)
                 metrics_arguments.append('cc')