diff --git a/doc/source/operation.rst b/doc/source/operation.rst
index 6f7cdc309..bd57c876d 100644
--- a/doc/source/operation.rst
+++ b/doc/source/operation.rst
@@ -132,23 +132,6 @@ the image is not being built correctly. If you know the image will be built
 correctly you can simple delete the built image and remove it from all clouds
 which will cause it to be rebuilt using ``nodepool dib-image-delete``.
 
-Instance Management
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
-With working images in providers you should see Nodepool launching instances
-in these providers using the images it built. You may find that you need to
-debug a particular job failure manually. An easy way to do this is to
-``nodepool hold`` an instance then log in to the instance and perform any
-necessary debugging steps. Note that this doesn't stop the job running there,
-what it will do is prevent Nodepool from automatically deleting this instance
-once the job is complete.
-
-In some circumstances like manually holding an instance above, or wanting to
-force a job restart you may want to delete a running instance. You can issue
-a ``nodepool delete`` to force nodepool to do this.
-
-Complete command help info is below.
-
 Command Line Tools
 ------------------
 
@@ -193,11 +176,6 @@ list
 .. program-output:: nodepool list --help
    :nostderr:
 
-hold
-^^^^
-.. program-output:: nodepool hold --help
-   :nostderr:
-
 delete
 ^^^^^^
 .. program-output:: nodepool delete --help
diff --git a/nodepool/cmd/nodepoolcmd.py b/nodepool/cmd/nodepoolcmd.py
index 819c3865e..8cb8b60d5 100755
--- a/nodepool/cmd/nodepoolcmd.py
+++ b/nodepool/cmd/nodepoolcmd.py
@@ -74,15 +74,6 @@ class NodePoolCmd(NodepoolApp):
         cmd_alien_image_list.add_argument('provider', help='provider name',
                                           nargs='?')
 
-        cmd_hold = subparsers.add_parser(
-            'hold',
-            help='place a node in the HOLD state')
-        cmd_hold.set_defaults(func=self.hold)
-        cmd_hold.add_argument('id', help='node id')
-        cmd_hold.add_argument('--reason',
-                              help='Reason this node is held',
-                              required=True)
-
         cmd_delete = subparsers.add_parser(
             'delete',
             help='place a node in the DELETE state')
@@ -234,20 +225,6 @@ class NodePoolCmd(NodepoolApp):
 
         print(t)
 
-    def hold(self):
-        node = self.zk.getNode(self.args.id)
-        if not node:
-            print("Node id %s not found" % self.args.id)
-            return
-
-        node.state = zk.HOLD
-        node.comment = self.args.reason
-        print("Waiting for lock...")
-        self.zk.lockNode(node, blocking=True)
-        self.zk.storeNode(node)
-        self.zk.unlockNode(node)
-        self.list(node_id=self.args.id)
-
     def delete(self):
         node = self.zk.getNode(self.args.id)
         if not node:
@@ -382,7 +359,7 @@ class NodePoolCmd(NodepoolApp):
         if self.args.command in ('image-build', 'dib-image-list',
                                  'image-list', 'dib-image-delete',
                                  'image-delete', 'alien-image-list',
-                                 'list', 'hold', 'delete',
+                                 'list', 'delete',
                                  'request-list', 'info', 'erase'):
             self.zk = zk.ZooKeeper()
             self.zk.connect(list(config.zookeeper_servers.values()))
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/test_commands.py b/nodepool/tests/test_commands.py
index 46e03fa35..847f0ebf8 100644
--- a/nodepool/tests/test_commands.py
+++ b/nodepool/tests/test_commands.py
@@ -201,25 +201,6 @@ class TestNodepoolCMD(tests.DBTestCase):
         self.assert_listed(
             configfile, ['dib-image-list'], 0, 'fake-image-0000000001', 0)
 
-    def test_hold(self):
-        configfile = self.setup_config('node.yaml')
-        pool = self.useNodepool(configfile, watermark_sleep=1)
-        self.useBuilder(configfile)
-        pool.start()
-        self.waitForImage('fake-provider', 'fake-image')
-        nodes = self.waitForNodes('fake-label')
-        node_id = nodes[0].id
-        # Assert one node exists and it is node 1 in a ready state.
-        self.assert_listed(configfile, ['list'], 0, node_id, 1)
-        self.assert_nodes_listed(configfile, 1, zk.READY)
-        # Hold node 0000000000
-        self.patch_argv(
-            '-c', configfile, 'hold', node_id, '--reason', 'testing')
-        nodepoolcmd.main()
-        # Assert the state changed to HOLD
-        self.assert_listed(configfile, ['list'], 0, node_id, 1)
-        self.assert_nodes_listed(configfile, 1, 'hold')
-
     def test_delete(self):
         configfile = self.setup_config('node.yaml')
         pool = self.useNodepool(configfile, watermark_sleep=1)