diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php
index 9c97317a92..b272d570d6 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php
@@ -2876,57 +2876,6 @@ function wp_ajax_destroy_sessions() {
 	wp_send_json_success( array( 'message' => $message ) );
 }
 
-/**
- * AJAX handler for installing a plugin.
- *
- * @since 4.2.0
- */
-function wp_ajax_install_plugin() {
-	$status = array(
-		'install' => 'plugin',
-		'slug'    => sanitize_key( $_POST['slug'] ),
-	);
-
-	if ( ! current_user_can( 'install_plugins' ) ) {
-		$status['error'] = __( 'You do not have sufficient permissions to install plugins on this site.' );
- 		wp_send_json_error( $status );
-	}
-
-	check_ajax_referer( 'updates' );
-
-	include_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/class-wp-upgrader.php' );
-	include_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/plugin-install.php' );
-
-	$api = plugins_api( 'plugin_information', array(
-		'slug'   => sanitize_key( $_POST['slug'] ),
-		'fields' => array( 'sections' => false )
-	) );
-
-	if ( is_wp_error( $api ) ) {
-		$status['error'] = $api->get_error_message();
- 		wp_send_json_error( $status );
-	}
-
-	$upgrader = new Plugin_Upgrader( new Automatic_Upgrader_Skin() );
-	$result = $upgrader->install( $api->download_link );
-
-	if ( is_wp_error( $result ) ) {
-		$status['error'] = $result->get_error_message();
- 		wp_send_json_error( $status );
-	} else if ( is_null( $result ) ) {
-		$status['errorCode'] = 'unable_to_connect_to_filesystem';
-		$status['error'] = __( 'Unable to connect to the filesystem. Please confirm your credentials.' );
-		wp_send_json_error( $status );
-	}
-
-	$plugin_status = install_plugin_install_status( $api );
-
-	if ( ! is_multisite() ) {
-		activate_plugin( $plugin_status['file'] );
-	}
-
-	wp_send_json_success( $status );
-}
 
 /**
  * AJAX handler for updating a plugin.
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/js/updates.js b/src/wp-admin/js/updates.js
index 77f0399486..85e044f643 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/js/updates.js
+++ b/src/wp-admin/js/updates.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 	};
 
 	/**
-	 * Flag if we're waiting for an install/update to complete.
+	 * Flag if we're waiting for an update to complete.
 	 *
 	 * @since 4.2.0
 	 *
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 	wp.updates.updateLock = false;
 
 	/**
-	 * * Flag if we've done an install or update successfully.
+	 * * Flag if we've done an update successfully.
 	 *
 	 * @since 4.2.0
 	 *
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 	wp.updates.updateDoneSuccessfully = false;
 
 	/**
-	 * If the user tries to install/update a plugin while an install/update is
+	 * If the user tries to update a plugin while an update is
 	 * already happening, it can be placed in this queue to perform later.
 	 *
 	 * @since 4.2.0
@@ -255,92 +255,6 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 		$notificationDialog.find( 'h3' ).after( '<div class="error">' + message + '</div>' );
 	};
 
-	/**
-	 * Send an Ajax request to the server to install a plugin.
-	 *
-	 * @since 4.2.0
-	 *
-	 * @param {string} slug
-	 */
-	wp.updates.installPlugin = function( slug ) {
-		var $message = $( '.plugin-card-' + slug ).find( '.install-now' );
-
-		$message.addClass( 'updating-message' );
-		$message.text( wp.updates.l10n.installing );
-		wp.a11y.speak( wp.updates.l10n.installingMsg );
-
-		if ( wp.updates.updateLock ) {
-			wp.updates.updateQueue.push( {
-				type: 'install-plugin',
-				data: {
-					slug: slug
-				}
-			} );
-			return;
-		}
-
-		wp.updates.updateLock = true;
-
-		var data = {
-			_ajax_nonce:     wp.updates.ajaxNonce,
-			slug:            slug,
-			username:        wp.updates.filesystemCredentials.ftp.username,
-			password:        wp.updates.filesystemCredentials.ftp.password,
-			hostname:        wp.updates.filesystemCredentials.ftp.hostname,
-			connection_type: wp.updates.filesystemCredentials.ftp.connectionType,
-			public_key:      wp.updates.filesystemCredentials.ssh.publicKey,
-			private_key:     wp.updates.filesystemCredentials.ssh.privateKey
-		};
-
-		wp.ajax.post( 'install-plugin', data )
-			.done( wp.updates.installSuccess )
-			.fail( wp.updates.installError );
-	};
-
-	/**
-	 * On plugin install success, update the UI with the result.
-	 *
-	 * @since 4.2.0
-	 *
-	 * @param {object} response
-	 */
-	wp.updates.installSuccess = function( response ) {
-		var $message = $( '.plugin-card-' + response.slug ).find( '.install-now' );
-
-		$message.removeClass( 'updating-message' ).addClass( 'updated-message button-disabled' );
-		$message.text( wp.updates.l10n.installed );
-		wp.a11y.speak( wp.updates.l10n.installedMsg );
-		wp.updates.updateDoneSuccessfully = true;
-
-		/*
-		 * The lock can be released since the update was successful,
-		 * and any other updates can commence.
-		 */
-		wp.updates.updateLock = false;
-		wp.updates.queueChecker();
-	};
-
-	/**
-	 * On plugin install failure, update the UI appropriately.
-	 *
-	 * @since 4.2.0
-	 *
-	 * @param {object} response
-	 */
-	wp.updates.installError = function( response ) {
-		var $message = $( '.plugin-card-' + response.slug ).find( '.install-now' );
-		wp.updates.updateDoneSuccessfully = false;
-		if ( response.errorCode && response.errorCode == 'unable_to_connect_to_filesystem' ) {
-			wp.updates.credentialError( response, 'install-plugin' );
-			return;
-		}
-
-		$message.removeClass( 'updating-message' );
-		$message.text( wp.updates.l10n.installNow );
-
-		wp.updates.updateLock = false;
-	};
-
 	/**
 	 * Events that need to happen when there is a credential error
 	 *
@@ -361,7 +275,7 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 	};
 
 	/**
-	 * If an install/update job has been placed in the queue, queueChecker pulls it out and runs it.
+	 * If an update job has been placed in the queue, queueChecker pulls it out and runs it.
 	 *
 	 * @since 4.2.0
 	 */
@@ -372,13 +286,13 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 
 		var job = wp.updates.updateQueue.shift();
 
+		/* This normally wouldn't be a switch, but is there since updates and installs
+		   originally were developed together. Kept as a switch to help with bringing 
+		   installs back in and to preserve commit history. */
 		switch ( job.type ) {
 			case 'update-plugin':
 				wp.updates.updatePlugin( job.data.plugin, job.data.slug );
 				break;
-			case 'install-plugin':
-				wp.updates.installPlugin( job.data.slug );
-				break;
 			default:
 				window.console.log( 'Failed to exect queued update job.' );
 				window.console.log( job );
@@ -463,17 +377,6 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 			wp.updates.updatePlugin( $button.data( 'plugin' ), $button.data( 'slug' ) );
 		} );
 
-		$( '.plugin-card .install-now' ).on( 'click', function( e ) {
-			e.preventDefault();
-			if ( wp.updates.shouldRequestFilesystemCredentials && ! wp.updates.updateLock ) {
-				wp.updates.requestFilesystemCredentials();
-			}
-			var $button = $( e.target );
-			if ( $button.hasClass( 'button-disabled' ) ) {
-				return;
-			}
-			wp.updates.installPlugin( $button.data( 'slug' ) );
-		} );
 	} );
 
 	$( window ).on( 'message', function( e ) {