diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5782814..2a685d3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ endif
 PGS_SQL    += pgs_gist_spoint3.sql
 
 ifneq ($(USE_HEALPIX),0)
-PGS_SQL    += pgs_moc_type.sql pgs_moc_compat.sql pgs_moc_ops.sql \
+PGS_SQL    += pgs_moc_type.sql pgs_moc_ops.sql \
               pgs_moc_geo_casts.sql
 endif
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ ifneq ($(USE_HEALPIX),0)
 pg_sphere--1.1.5beta0gavo--1.1.5beta2gavo.sql: pgs_moc_type.sql.in
 	cat upgrade_scripts/$@.in $^ > $@
 
-pg_sphere--1.1.5beta2gavo--1.1.5beta4gavo.sql: pgs_moc_compat.sql.in
+pg_sphere--1.1.5beta2gavo--1.1.5beta4gavo.sql:
 	cat upgrade_scripts/$@.in $^ > $@
 
 pg_sphere--1.1.5beta4gavo--1.2.0.sql: pgs_moc_ops.sql.in
diff --git a/pgs_moc_compat.sql.in b/pgs_moc_compat.sql.in
deleted file mode 100644
index 212b4f3..0000000
--- a/pgs_moc_compat.sql.in
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
--- a minimal set of backwards-compatible operators for GAVO DaCHS,
--- see http://soft.g-vo.org/dachs
-
-CREATE OPERATOR @ (
-   LEFTARG    = bigint,
-   RIGHTARG   = smoc,
-   PROCEDURE  = healpix_subset_smoc,
-   COMMUTATOR = '@>',
-   NEGATOR    = '!<@',
-   RESTRICT   = contsel,
-   JOIN       = contjoinsel
-);
-
-CREATE OPERATOR @ (
-   LEFTARG    = spoint,
-   RIGHTARG   = smoc,
-   PROCEDURE  = spoint_subset_smoc,
-   COMMUTATOR = '@>',
-   NEGATOR    = '!<@',
-   RESTRICT   = contsel,
-   JOIN       = contjoinsel
-);
diff --git a/upgrade_scripts/pg_sphere--1.3.1--1.3.2.sql.in b/upgrade_scripts/pg_sphere--1.3.1--1.3.2.sql.in
index 1ada066..bdad0c2 100644
--- a/upgrade_scripts/pg_sphere--1.3.1--1.3.2.sql.in
+++ b/upgrade_scripts/pg_sphere--1.3.1--1.3.2.sql.in
@@ -12,3 +12,7 @@ EXCEPTION
    WHEN OTHERS THEN RAISE;
 END;
 $$;
+
+-- remove legacy spellings of operators
+DROP OPERATOR IF EXISTS @(bigint, smoc);
+DROP OPERATOR IF EXISTS @(spoint, smoc);