diff --git a/src/js/background/assignManager.js b/src/js/background/assignManager.js
index a18317c..c34f793 100644
--- a/src/js/background/assignManager.js
+++ b/src/js/background/assignManager.js
@@ -187,21 +187,14 @@ window.assignManager = {
   async handleProxifiedRequest(requestInfo) {
     // The following blocks potentially dangerous requests for privacy that come without a tabId
 
-    // Dupe of Utils.DEFAULT_PROXY, which was occasionally and unreliably
-    // not being found on startup and causing significant UI grief.
     if(requestInfo.tabId === -1) {
-      return {
-        value: Object.freeze({type: "direct"}),
-        writable: false,
-        enumerable: true,
-        configurable: false
-      };
+      return {type: "direct"};
     }
 
     const tab = await browser.tabs.get(requestInfo.tabId);
     const result = await proxifiedContainers.retrieve(tab.cookieStoreId);
     if (!result || !result.proxy) {
-      return Utils.DEFAULT_PROXY;
+      return {type: "direct"};
     }
 
     if (!result.proxy.mozProxyEnabled) {
diff --git a/src/js/popup.js b/src/js/popup.js
index b9a134e..3ab1fdf 100644
--- a/src/js/popup.js
+++ b/src/js/popup.js
@@ -1824,8 +1824,7 @@ Logic.registerPanel(P_CONTAINER_EDIT, {
       return;
     }
 
-    await proxifiedContainers.set(identity.cookieStoreId, Utils.DEFAULT_PROXY);
-    mozillaVpnUi.updateProxyDependentUi(Utils.DEFAULT_PROXY);
+    mozillaVpnUi.updateProxyDependentUi({});
   },
 });
 
diff --git a/src/js/utils.js b/src/js/utils.js
index 2b91dfe..2d65f45 100644
--- a/src/js/utils.js
+++ b/src/js/utils.js
@@ -169,13 +169,3 @@ const Utils = {
 };
 
 window.Utils = Utils;
-
-// The following creates a fake (but convincing) constant Utils.DEFAULT_PROXY
-Object.defineProperty(window.Utils, "DEFAULT_PROXY", {
-  value: Object.freeze({type: "direct"}),
-  writable: false,
-  enumerable: true,
-
-  // Setting configurable to false avoids deletion of Utils.DEFAULT_PROXY
-  configurable: false
-});