diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/bot_data.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/bot_data.js
index f8ae6f8035..2f4909e4d9 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/bot_data.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/bot_data.js
@@ -72,13 +72,14 @@ assert.equal(bot_data.get('bot0@zulip.com').full_name, 'Bot 0');
     (function test_remove() {
         var bot;
 
-        bot_data.add(test_bot);
+        bot_data.add(_.extend({}, test_bot, {is_active: true}));
 
         bot = bot_data.get('bot1@zulip.com');
         assert.equal('Bot 1', bot.full_name);
-        bot_data.remove('bot1@zulip.com');
+        assert(bot.is_active);
+        bot_data.deactivate('bot1@zulip.com');
         bot = bot_data.get('bot1@zulip.com');
-        assert.equal(undefined, bot);
+        assert.equal(bot.is_active, false);
     }());
 
     (function test_owner_can_admin() {
@@ -110,9 +111,9 @@ assert.equal(bot_data.get('bot0@zulip.com').full_name, 'Bot 0');
     (function test_get_editable() {
         var can_admin;
 
-        bot_data.add(_.extend({}, test_bot, {owner: 'owner@zulip.com'}));
-        bot_data.add(_.extend({}, test_bot, {email: 'bot2@zulip.com', owner: 'owner@zulip.com'}));
-        bot_data.add(_.extend({}, test_bot, {email: 'bot3@zulip.com', owner: 'not_owner@zulip.com'}));
+        bot_data.add(_.extend({}, test_bot, {owner: 'owner@zulip.com', is_active: true}));
+        bot_data.add(_.extend({}, test_bot, {email: 'bot2@zulip.com', owner: 'owner@zulip.com', is_active: true}));
+        bot_data.add(_.extend({}, test_bot, {email: 'bot3@zulip.com', owner: 'not_owner@zulip.com', is_active: true}));
 
         can_admin = _.pluck(bot_data.get_editable(), 'email');
         assert.deepEqual(['bot1@zulip.com', 'bot2@zulip.com'], can_admin);
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
index 26e12f9d0a..a3adad4d6a 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ run(function (override, capture, args) {
     assert_same(args.bot, event.bot);
 
     event = event_fixtures.realm_bot__remove;
-    override('bot_data', 'remove', capture(['email']));
+    override('bot_data', 'deactivate', capture(['email']));
     dispatch(event);
     assert_same(args.email, event.bot.email);
 
diff --git a/static/js/bot_data.js b/static/js/bot_data.js
index 7ff32917ac..8940bb35aa 100644
--- a/static/js/bot_data.js
+++ b/static/js/bot_data.js
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ var bot_data = (function () {
         send_change_event();
     };
 
-    exports.remove = function bot_data__remove(email) {
-        delete bots[email];
+    exports.deactivate = function bot_data__deactivate(email) {
+        bots[email].is_active = false;
         send_change_event();
     };
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ var bot_data = (function () {
 
     exports.get_editable = function bots_data__get_editable() {
         return _.filter(bots, function (bot) {
-            return people.is_current_user(bot.owner);
+            return bot.is_active && people.is_current_user(bot.owner);
         });
     };
 
diff --git a/static/js/server_events.js b/static/js/server_events.js
index 048d5186bb..e08fbe0996 100644
--- a/static/js/server_events.js
+++ b/static/js/server_events.js
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ function dispatch_normal_event(event) {
         if (event.op === 'add') {
             bot_data.add(event.bot);
         } else if (event.op === 'remove') {
-            bot_data.remove(event.bot.email);
+            bot_data.deactivate(event.bot.email);
         } else if (event.op === 'update') {
             if (_.has(event.bot, 'owner_id')) {
                 event.bot.owner = people.get_person_from_user_id(event.bot.owner_id).email;