diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/vat-admin/vat-vat-admin.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/vat-admin/vat-vat-admin.js
index 6c5dab3d978..b2958fead8c 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/vat-admin/vat-vat-admin.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/vat-admin/vat-vat-admin.js
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ export function buildRootObject(vatPowers, _vatParameters, baggage) {
       } else {
         // eventually this option will go away: userspace will be obligated
         // to use an ID, not a full bundle
+        throw Error(`createVat(bundle) has been removed, #4486`);
         const bundle = bundleOrBundleCap;
         assert(
           bundle.moduleFormat,
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/test/vat-admin/test-create-vat.js b/packages/SwingSet/test/vat-admin/test-create-vat.js
index 00dadd1032e..f675a16e51b 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/test/vat-admin/test-create-vat.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/test/vat-admin/test-create-vat.js
@@ -98,21 +98,6 @@ async function doTestSetup(t, doVatAdminRestart = false, enableSlog = false) {
   return { c, id44, idRC, vat13Bundle: bundles.vat13Bundle, kernelStorage };
 }
 
-async function testCreateVatByBundle(t, doVatAdminRestart) {
-  const { c, vat13Bundle } = await doTestSetup(t, doVatAdminRestart);
-  const kpid = c.queueToVatRoot('bootstrap', 'byBundle', [vat13Bundle]);
-  await c.run();
-  t.deepEqual(kunser(c.kpResolution(kpid)), 13);
-}
-
-test('createVatByBundle', async t => {
-  await testCreateVatByBundle(t, false);
-});
-
-test('createVatByBundle with VA upgrade', async t => {
-  await testCreateVatByBundle(t, true);
-});
-
 async function testCreateVatByName(t, doVatAdminRestart) {
   const { c } = await doTestSetup(t, doVatAdminRestart);
   const kpid = c.queueToVatRoot('bootstrap', 'byName', ['new13']);
diff --git a/packages/pegasus/test/fakeVatAdmin.js b/packages/pegasus/test/fakeVatAdmin.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 5c483621338..00000000000
--- a/packages/pegasus/test/fakeVatAdmin.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-import { E } from '@endo/far';
-import { makePromiseKit } from '@endo/promise-kit';
-
-import { evalContractBundle } from '@agoric/zoe/src/contractFacet/evalContractCode.js';
-
-export default harden({
-  createMeter: () => {},
-  createUnlimitedMeter: () => {},
-  createVat: bundle => {
-    return harden({
-      root: E(evalContractBundle(bundle)).buildRootObject(),
-      adminNode: {
-        done: () => {
-          return makePromiseKit().promise;
-        },
-        terminate: () => {},
-      },
-    });
-  },
-  createVatByName: _name => {
-    throw Error(`createVatByName not supported in fake mode`);
-  },
-});