diff --git a/python/ray/function_manager.py b/python/ray/function_manager.py
index 4220feb82..ad20f0737 100644
--- a/python/ray/function_manager.py
+++ b/python/ray/function_manager.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ from ray import ray_constants
 from ray import cloudpickle as pickle
 from ray.utils import (
     binary_to_hex,
-    is_cython,
     is_function_or_method,
     is_class_method,
     check_oversized_pickle,
@@ -355,23 +354,8 @@ class FunctionActorManager(object):
         """
         if self._worker.load_code_from_local:
             return
-        # Work around limitations of Python pickling.
         function = remote_function._function
-        function_name_global_valid = function.__name__ in function.__globals__
-        function_name_global_value = function.__globals__.get(
-            function.__name__)
-        # Allow the function to reference itself as a global variable
-        if not is_cython(function):
-            function.__globals__[function.__name__] = remote_function
-        try:
-            pickled_function = pickle.dumps(function)
-        finally:
-            # Undo our changes
-            if function_name_global_valid:
-                function.__globals__[function.__name__] = (
-                    function_name_global_value)
-            else:
-                del function.__globals__[function.__name__]
+        pickled_function = pickle.dumps(function)
 
         check_oversized_pickle(pickled_function,
                                remote_function._function_name,
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py b/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
index 7c1488120..92eb2d640 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -319,6 +319,38 @@ def test_nested_functions(ray_start_regular):
 
     assert ray.get(f.remote()) == (1, 2)
 
+    # Test a remote function that recursively calls itself.
+
+    @ray.remote
+    def factorial(n):
+        if n == 0:
+            return 1
+        return n * ray.get(factorial.remote(n - 1))
+
+    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(0)) == 1
+    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(1)) == 1
+    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(2)) == 2
+    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(3)) == 6
+    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(4)) == 24
+    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(5)) == 120
+
+    # Test remote functions that recursively call each other.
+
+    @ray.remote
+    def factorial_even(n):
+        assert n % 2 == 0
+        if n == 0:
+            return 1
+        return n * ray.get(factorial_odd.remote(n - 1))
+
+    @ray.remote
+    def factorial_odd(n):
+        assert n % 2 == 1
+        return n * ray.get(factorial_even.remote(n - 1))
+
+    assert ray.get(factorial_even.remote(4)) == 24
+    assert ray.get(factorial_odd.remote(5)) == 120
+
 
 def test_ray_recursive_objects(ray_start_regular):
     class ClassA(object):
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_recursion.py b/python/ray/tests/test_recursion.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 56b28f5e6..000000000
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_recursion.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-# This test is not inside of test_basic.py because when a recursive remote
-# function is defined inside of another function, we currently can't handle
-# that.
-
-from __future__ import absolute_import
-from __future__ import division
-from __future__ import print_function
-
-import ray
-
-
-@ray.remote
-def factorial(n):
-    if n == 0:
-        return 1
-    return n * ray.get(factorial.remote(n - 1))
-
-
-def test_recursion(ray_start_regular):
-    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(0)) == 1
-    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(1)) == 1
-    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(2)) == 2
-    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(3)) == 6
-    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(4)) == 24
-    assert ray.get(factorial.remote(5)) == 120