diff --git a/compiler/parser/ztests/shape.yaml b/compiler/parser/ztests/shape.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 1aea39c97d..0000000000
--- a/compiler/parser/ztests/shape.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-spq: shape(this,<{s:string}>)
-
-input: |
-  {s:1}
-
-output: |
-  {s:"1"}
diff --git a/compiler/rungen/expr.go b/compiler/rungen/expr.go
index 360fe731ac..ae7efdccc7 100644
--- a/compiler/rungen/expr.go
+++ b/compiler/rungen/expr.go
@@ -308,9 +308,6 @@ func (b *Builder) compileAssignment(node *dag.Assignment) (expr.Assignment, erro
 }
 
 func (b *Builder) compileCall(call *dag.CallExpr) (expr.Evaluator, error) {
-	if tf := expr.NewShaperTransform(call.Tag); tf != 0 {
-		return b.compileShaper(call.Args, tf)
-	}
 	// First check if call is to a user defined function, otherwise check for
 	// builtin function.
 	var fn expr.Function
@@ -361,18 +358,6 @@ func (b *Builder) compileMapCall(a *dag.MapCallExpr) (expr.Evaluator, error) {
 	return expr.NewMapCall(b.sctx(), e, lambda), nil
 }
 
-func (b *Builder) compileShaper(args []dag.Expr, tf expr.ShaperTransform) (expr.Evaluator, error) {
-	field, err := b.compileExpr(args[0])
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	typExpr, err := b.compileExpr(args[1])
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return expr.NewShaper(b.sctx(), field, typExpr, tf)
-}
-
 func (b *Builder) compileExprs(in []dag.Expr) ([]expr.Evaluator, error) {
 	var exprs []expr.Evaluator
 	for _, e := range in {
diff --git a/compiler/rungen/vexpr.go b/compiler/rungen/vexpr.go
index f956c0f833..ed00e34751 100644
--- a/compiler/rungen/vexpr.go
+++ b/compiler/rungen/vexpr.go
@@ -191,9 +191,6 @@ func (b *Builder) compileVamCall(call *dag.CallExpr) (vamexpr.Evaluator, error)
 	if call.Tag == "cast" {
 		return b.compileVamCast(call.Args)
 	}
-	if tf := expr.NewShaperTransform(call.Tag); tf != 0 {
-		return b.compileVamShaper(call.Args, tf)
-	}
 	var fn vamexpr.Function
 	if f, ok := b.funcs[call.Tag]; ok {
 		var err error
@@ -256,14 +253,6 @@ func (b *Builder) compileVamCast(args []dag.Expr) (vamexpr.Evaluator, error) {
 	return vamexpr.NewSamExpr(e), nil
 }
 
-func (b *Builder) compileVamShaper(args []dag.Expr, tf expr.ShaperTransform) (vamexpr.Evaluator, error) {
-	shaper, err := b.compileShaper(args, tf)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return vamexpr.NewSamExpr(shaper), nil
-}
-
 func (b *Builder) compileVamRecordExpr(e *dag.RecordExpr) (vamexpr.Evaluator, error) {
 	var elems []vamexpr.RecordElem
 	for _, elem := range e.Elems {
diff --git a/compiler/semantic/expr.go b/compiler/semantic/expr.go
index 1314697228..6c8bf3cda4 100644
--- a/compiler/semantic/expr.go
+++ b/compiler/semantic/expr.go
@@ -724,11 +724,6 @@ func (t *translator) semCallByName(call *ast.Call, name string, args []sem.Expr)
 	}
 	nameLower := strings.ToLower(name)
 	switch {
-	case expr.NewShaperTransform(nameLower) != 0:
-		if err := function.CheckArgCount(nargs, 2, 2); err != nil {
-			t.error(call, err)
-			return badExpr()
-		}
 	case nameLower == "map":
 		return t.semMapCall(call, args)
 	case nameLower == "grep":
diff --git a/compiler/ztests/badshaper.yaml b/compiler/ztests/badshaper.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index a03d9a72fd..0000000000
--- a/compiler/ztests/badshaper.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-script: |
-  ! super -s -I badshaper.spq -
-
-inputs:
-  - name: stdin
-    data: |
-      {"_path": "bar", "testfield": null}
-  - name: badshaper.spq
-    data: |
-      type foo={_path:string,testfield:"null"}
-      values shape(foo)
-
-outputs:
-  - name: stderr
-    data: |
-      no such type name: "null" in badshaper.spq at line 1, column 10:
-      type foo={_path:string,testfield:"null"}
-               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-      too few arguments in badshaper.spq at line 2, column 8:
-      values shape(foo)
-             ~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/runtime/sam/expr/shaper.go b/runtime/sam/expr/shaper.go
index d65f18541e..eb6d76c085 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/expr/shaper.go
+++ b/runtime/sam/expr/shaper.go
@@ -25,82 +25,6 @@ const (
 	Order
 )
 
-func NewShaperTransform(s string) ShaperTransform {
-	switch s {
-	case "crop":
-		return Crop
-	case "fill":
-		return Fill
-	case "fit":
-		return Crop | Fill
-	case "order":
-		return Order
-	case "shape":
-		return Cast | Fill | Order
-	}
-	return 0
-}
-
-// NewShaper returns a shaper that will shape the result of expr
-// to the type returned by typeExpr according to tf.
-func NewShaper(sctx *super.Context, expr, typeExpr Evaluator, tf ShaperTransform) (Evaluator, error) {
-	if l, ok := typeExpr.(*Literal); ok {
-		typeVal := l.val
-		switch id := typeVal.Type().ID(); {
-		case id == super.IDType:
-			typ, err := sctx.LookupByValue(typeVal.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return NewConstShaper(sctx, expr, typ, tf), nil
-		case id == super.IDString && tf == Cast:
-			name := super.DecodeString(typeVal.Bytes())
-			if _, err := super.NewContext().LookupTypeNamed(name, super.TypeNull); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return &casterNamedType{sctx, expr, name}, nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("shaper type argument is not a type: %s", sup.FormatValue(typeVal))
-	}
-	return &Shaper{
-		sctx:       sctx,
-		expr:       expr,
-		typeExpr:   typeExpr,
-		transforms: tf,
-		shapers:    make(map[super.Type]*ConstShaper),
-	}, nil
-}
-
-type Shaper struct {
-	sctx       *super.Context
-	expr       Evaluator
-	typeExpr   Evaluator
-	transforms ShaperTransform
-
-	shapers map[super.Type]*ConstShaper
-}
-
-func (s *Shaper) Eval(this super.Value) super.Value {
-	typeVal := s.typeExpr.Eval(this)
-	switch id := typeVal.Type().ID(); {
-	case id == super.IDType:
-		typ, err := s.sctx.LookupByValue(typeVal.Bytes())
-		if err != nil {
-			return s.sctx.NewError(err)
-		}
-		shaper, ok := s.shapers[typ]
-		if !ok {
-			shaper = NewConstShaper(s.sctx, s.expr, typ, s.transforms)
-			s.shapers[typ] = shaper
-		}
-		return shaper.Eval(this)
-	case id == super.IDString && s.transforms == Cast:
-		name := super.DecodeString(typeVal.Bytes())
-		return (&casterNamedType{s.sctx, s.expr, name}).Eval(this)
-	}
-	return s.sctx.WrapError("shaper type argument is not a type", typeVal)
-}
-
 type ConstShaper struct {
 	sctx       *super.Context
 	expr       Evaluator
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-arrays-sets.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-arrays-sets.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 51a6ea1d04..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-arrays-sets.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  values crop(this, <{set:|[{b:string}]|,arr:[{a:string}]}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {arr:[{a:"one",b:"two"},{a:"three",b:"four"}],set:|[{a:"one",b:"two"},{a:"three",b:"four"}]|}
-
-output: |
-  {arr:[{a:"one"},{a:"three"}],set:|[{b:"two"},{b:"four"}]|}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-named.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-named.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ac4dbc04f2..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-named.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  type port=int64
-  type prec={p:port}
-  type parr=[prec]
-  values crop(this, <{a:prec,b:parr}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {a:{p:1::=port,q:null::port},b:[{p:1,q:2::port}],c:3::port}
-  {a:{p:1::(myport=int16),q:null::(port=int64)},b:[{p:1::myport,q:2::port}],c:3::port}
-
-output: |
-  {a:{p:1::=port},b:[{p:1}]}
-  {a:{p:1::(myport=int16)},b:[{p:1::myport}]}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-null.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-null.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 7f81af8d33..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop-null.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-spq: values crop(this, <{f:null}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: &input |
-  {f:1::=int64_named}::=int64_record_named
-  {f:[1::=int64_named]::=array_named}::=array_record_named
-  {f:{g:1::=int64_named}::=record_named}::=record_record_named
-  {f:|[1::=int64_named]|::=set_named}::=set_record_named
-  {f:1::=int64_named::(union_named=int64|int64_named)}::=union_record_named
-
-output: *input
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 3bf6fd21e8..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-crop.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  put
-  -- crop to type with same field order
-  id:=crop(id, <{orig_h:ip,orig_p:port=uint16}>),
-  -- crop to type with different field order, does not change output order
-  id2:=crop(id, <{orig_p:port=uint16,orig_h:ip}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {id:{orig_h:ff02::fb,orig_p:5353::(port=uint16),resp_h:1.2.3.4,resp_p:5353::port},other:123.}
-
-output: |
-  {id:{orig_h:ff02::fb,orig_p:5353::(port=uint16)},other:123.,id2:{orig_h:ff02::fb,orig_p:5353::port}}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-arrays-sets.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-arrays-sets.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 080b18966f..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-arrays-sets.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  values fill(this, <{arr:[{b:string,a:string}],set:|[{b:string,a:string}]|}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {arr:[{a:"one"},{a:"three"}],set:|[{a:"one"},{a:"three"}]|}
-
-output: |
-  {arr:[{a:"one",b:null::string},{a:"three",b:null::string}],set:|[{a:"one",b:null::string},{a:"three",b:null::string}]|}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-fit.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-fit.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index a355116c03..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-fit.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  cut id_filled:=fill(id, <{orig_h:ip,orig_p:port=uint16}>),  id_fitted:=fit(id, <{orig_h:ip,orig_p:port=uint16}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {id:{orig_h:"ff02::fb",resp_h:"ff02::fb"}}
-
-output: |
-  {id_filled:{orig_h:"ff02::fb",resp_h:"ff02::fb",orig_p:null::(port=uint16)},id_fitted:{orig_h:"ff02::fb",orig_p:null::port}}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-named.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-named.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ab8190a16c..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-named.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  type port=int64
-  type prec={p:port,q:port}
-  type parr=[prec]
-  values fill(this, <{a:prec,b:parr,c:port}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {a:{q:1},b:[{p:1}]}
-  {a:{q:1::(myport=int16)},b:[{p:1::myport}]}
-
-output: |
-  {a:{q:1,p:null::(port=int64)},b:[{p:1,q:null::port}],c:null::port}
-  {a:{q:1::(myport=int16),p:null::(port=int64)},b:[{p:1::myport,q:null::port}],c:null::port}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-null.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-null.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ee36d999cc..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill-null.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-spq: values fill(this, <{f:null}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: &input |
-  {f:1::=int64_named}::=int64_record_named
-  {f:[1::=int64_named]::=array_named}::=array_record_named
-  {f:{g:1::=int64_named}::=record_named}::=record_record_named
-  {f:|[1::=int64_named]|::=set_named}::=set_record_named
-  {f:1::=int64_named::(union_named=int64|int64_named)}::=union_record_named
-
-output: *input
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d0d899b3c..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-fill.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-spq: values fill(this, <{a:{b:{c:string}}}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {s:"x"}
-  {a:null::{s:string}}
-  {a:{s:null::string}}
-
-output: |
-  {s:"x",a:null::{b:{c:string}}}
-  {a:null::{s:string,b:{c:string}}}
-  {a:{s:null::string,b:null::{c:string}}}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-named.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-named.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c4f19e9b4..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-named.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  type port=int64
-  type prec={p:port,q:port}
-  type parr=[prec]
-  values shape(this, <{c:port,b:parr,a:prec}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {a:{q:1::(myport=int16),p:2::myport},b:[{q:1}],c:3}
-
-output: |
-  {c:3::=port,b:[{p:null::port,q:1::port}::=prec]::=parr,a:{p:2,q:1}::prec}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-nested.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-nested.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 26064a004b..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-nested.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  cut x := shape(this, <{a:{a:float64,b:float64}}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {"a": {"a": 1}}
-  {"a": {"b": 1}}
-  {"a": {"c": 1, "b": 1}}
-
-output: |
-  {x:{a:{a:1.,b:null::float64}}}
-  {x:{a:{a:null::float64,b:1.}}}
-  {x:{a:{a:null::float64,b:1.,c:1}}}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-null-cast.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-null-cast.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 44ddd47b25..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-null-cast.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  values shape(this, <{a:string,b:string}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {a:null,b:null::int64}
-
-output: |
-  {a:null::string,b:null::string}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-null-container.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-null-container.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 5679d09ecb..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-null-container.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-# issues #2853 #2879
-
-spq: |
-  values shape(this, <{
-    array:[string],
-    record:{c1:int64,c2:string,c3:time}
-  }>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {array:null,record:null}
-
-output-flags: -pretty=2
-
-output: |
-  {
-    array: null::[string],
-    record: null::{c1:int64,c2:string,c3:time}
-  }
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-arrays-sets.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-arrays-sets.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index e7057f47af..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-arrays-sets.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  values order(this, <{set:|[{b:string,a:string}]|,arr:[{b:string,a:string}]}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {arr:[{a:"one",b:"two"},{a:"three",b:"four"}],set:|[{a:"one",b:"two"},{a:"three",b:"four"}]|}
-
-output: |
-  {set:|[{b:"two",a:"one"},{b:"four",a:"three"}]|,arr:[{b:"two",a:"one"},{b:"four",a:"three"}]}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-named.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-named.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0a161f31e6..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-named.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  type port=int64
-  type prec={p:port,q:port}
-  type parr=[prec]
-  values order(this, <{c:port,b:parr,a:prec}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {a:{q:1::=port,p:2::port},b:[{q:1,p:2::port}],c:3::port}
-  {a:{q:1::(myport=int16),p:2::myport},b:[{q:1::myport,p:2::myport}],c:3::myport}
-
-output: |
-  {c:3::=port,b:[{p:2::port,q:1}],a:{p:2::port,q:1::port}}
-  {c:3::(myport=int16),b:[{p:2::myport,q:1::myport}],a:{p:2::myport,q:1::myport}}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-null.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-null.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ff719d8af9..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order-null.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-spq: values order(this, <{f:null}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: &input |
-  {f:1::=int64_named}::=int64_record_named
-  {f:[1::=int64_named]::=array_named}::=array_record_named
-  {f:{g:1::=int64_named}::=record_named}::=record_record_named
-  {f:|[1::=int64_named]|::=set_named}::=set_record_named
-  {f:1::=int64_named::(union_named=int64|int64_named)}::=union_record_named
-
-output: *input
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0d25274be6..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-order.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  values order(this, <{id: {orig_h: string, orig_p: port=uint16, resp_h:ip,resp_p:port}}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {id:{orig_h:"ff02::fb",orig_p:5353::(port=uint16),resp_p:5354::port,resp_h:"1.2.3.4"},other:123.}
-  {b:2,c:3,id:{resp_p:4,g:7,resp_h:"3",f:6,orig_p:2,orig_h:"1",e:5},a:1}
-
-output: |
-  {id:{orig_h:"ff02::fb",orig_p:5353::(port=uint16),resp_h:"1.2.3.4",resp_p:5354::port},other:123.}
-  {id:{orig_h:"1",orig_p:2,resp_h:"3",resp_p:4,e:5,f:6,g:7},a:1,b:2,c:3}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-string-time-err.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-string-time-err.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index b42d4f5f74..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-string-time-err.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  values shape(this, <{a:time}>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {a:"a",b:"b"}
-
-output: |
-  {a:error({message:"cannot cast to time",on:"a"}),b:"b"}
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-typedef.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-typedef.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index d831ddbc50..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape-typedef.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-spq: name=='steve' | values shape(this,<person>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {name:"jim",likes:"plain",age:30}::=person
-  {name:"steve",likes:"spicy",age:"52"}
-
-output: |
-  {name:"steve",likes:"spicy",age:52}::=person
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/shape.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index a3be1205eb..0000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/shape.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-spq: |
-  type id={orig_h: ip, orig_p: port=uint16, vlan: uint16, resp_h:ip,resp_p:port}
-  type rec={id: id}
-  values shape(this, <rec>)
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {id:{orig_h:"1.2.3.4",resp_h:"5.6.7.8",orig_p:1234::(port=uint16),resp_p:53::port,tag:0::uint16}}
-
-output: |
-  {id:{orig_h:1.2.3.4,orig_p:1234::(port=uint16),vlan:null::uint16,resp_h:5.6.7.8,resp_p:53::port,tag:0::uint16}}