diff --git a/client/coral-framework/actions/config.js b/client/coral-framework/actions/config.js
index f85e609eb..eb03d63ed 100644
--- a/client/coral-framework/actions/config.js
+++ b/client/coral-framework/actions/config.js
@@ -6,14 +6,6 @@ import I18n from 'coral-framework/modules/i18n/i18n';
 import translations from './../translations';
 const lang = new I18n(translations);
 
-export const updateOpenStatus = status => (dispatch, getState) => {
-  const assetId = getState().items.get('assets')
-    .keySeq()
-    .toArray()[0];
-  return coralApi(`/asset/${assetId}/status?status=${status}`, {method: 'PUT'})
-    .then(() => dispatch({type: status === 'open' ? actions.OPEN_COMMENTS : actions.CLOSE_COMMENTS}));
-};
-
 const updateConfigRequest = () => ({type: actions.UPDATE_CONFIG_REQUEST});
 const updateConfigSuccess = config => ({type: actions.UPDATE_CONFIG_SUCCESS, config});
 const updateConfigFailure = () => ({type: actions.UPDATE_CONFIG_FAILURE});
@@ -31,3 +23,16 @@ export const updateConfiguration = newConfig => (dispatch, getState) => {
     })
     .catch(error => dispatch(updateConfigFailure(error)));
 };
+
+const openStream = () => ({type: actions.OPEN_COMMENTS});
+const closeStream = () => ({type: actions.CLOSE_COMMENTS});
+
+export const updateOpenStatus = status => dispatch => {
+  if (status === 'open') {
+    dispatch(openStream());
+    dispatch(updateConfiguration({closedAt: null}));
+  } else {
+    dispatch(closeStream());
+    dispatch(updateConfiguration({closedAt: Date.getTime()}));
+  }
+};
diff --git a/models/asset.js b/models/asset.js
index c1fc59dc3..09a9f49e8 100644
--- a/models/asset.js
+++ b/models/asset.js
@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@ const Setting = require('./setting');
 
 const uuid = require('uuid');
 
-// ASSET_STATUSES is the list of statuses that are permitted for the asset status.
-const ASSET_STATUS = [
-  'open',
-  'closed'
-];
-
 const AssetSchema = new Schema({
   id: {
     type: String,
@@ -35,15 +29,6 @@ const AssetSchema = new Schema({
     type: Schema.Types.Mixed,
     default: null
   },
-  status: {
-    type: String,
-    default: 'open'
-  },
-  statusChangedAt: {
-    type: Date,
-    default: null
-  },
-  statusClosedMessage: String,
   title: String,
   description: String,
   image: String,
@@ -71,31 +56,6 @@ AssetSchema.index({
   background: true
 });
 
-/**
- * Returns true if the asset is closed, false else.
- */
-AssetSchema.virtual('isClosed').get(function() {
-  return (this.status === 'closed') && this.statusChangedAt && this.statusChangedAt.getTime() <= new Date().getTime();
-});
-
-/**
- * Close or Open the asset.
- */
-AssetSchema.statics.changeOpenStatus = (id, status, closedMessage = '') => {
-  // Check to see if the user role is in the allowable set of roles.
-  if (ASSET_STATUS.indexOf(status) === -1) {
-    // Asset status is not supported! Error out here.
-    return Promise.reject(new Error(`status ${status} is not supported`));
-  }
-  return Asset.update({id}, {
-    $set: {
-      status: status,
-      statusChangedAt: new Date().getTime(),
-      statusClosedMessage: closedMessage
-    }
-  });
-};
-
 /**
  * Finds an asset by its id.
  * @param {String} id  identifier of the asset (uuid).
@@ -108,6 +68,10 @@ AssetSchema.statics.findById = (id) => Asset.findOne({id});
  */
 AssetSchema.statics.findByUrl = (url) => Asset.findOne({url});
 
+AssetSchema.virtual('isClosed').get(function() {
+  return this.settings && this.settings.closedAt && this.settings.closedAt <= new Date().getTime();
+});
+
 /**
  * Retrieves the settings given an asset query and rectifies it against the
  * global settings.
diff --git a/routes/api/asset/index.js b/routes/api/asset/index.js
index ebdcf038d..f61851f0c 100644
--- a/routes/api/asset/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/asset/index.js
@@ -89,12 +89,16 @@ router.put('/:asset_id/settings', (req, res, next) => {
     .catch((err) => next(err));
 });
 
-router.put('/:asset_id/status', (req, res, next) => {
-
-  Asset
-    .changeOpenStatus(req.params.asset_id, req.query.status, req.query.closedMessage)
-    .then(() => res.status(204).end())
-    .catch((err) => next(err));
-});
+// router.put('/:asset_id/status', (req, res, next) => {
+//   Asset
+//     .findOneAndUpdate(req.params.asset_id, {
+//       $set: {
+//         closedAt: req.query.closedAt,
+//         closedMessage: req.query.closedMessage
+//       }
+//     })
+//     .then(() => res.status(204).end())
+//     .catch((err) => next(err));
+// });
 
 module.exports = router;
diff --git a/routes/api/comments/index.js b/routes/api/comments/index.js
index fad9083cc..bf741ed2d 100644
--- a/routes/api/comments/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/comments/index.js
@@ -87,9 +87,8 @@ router.post('/', wordlist.filter('body'), (req, res, next) => {
 
         // Check to see if the asset has closed commenting...
         if (asset.isClosed) {
-
           // They have, ensure that we send back an error.
-          return Promise.reject(new Error(`asset has commenting closed because: ${asset.statusClosedMessage}`));
+          return Promise.reject(new Error(`asset has commenting closed because: ${asset.settings.closedMessage}`));
         }
 
         return asset;
diff --git a/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js b/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js
index 4787e4d58..0f6e8442e 100644
--- a/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js
+++ b/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js
@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ describe('/api/v1/comments', () => {
         .then((res) => {
           expect(res).to.have.status(201);
           expect(res.body).to.have.property('id');
+        })
+        .catch((err) => {
+          expect(err).to.be.null;
         });
     });
 
@@ -199,9 +202,10 @@ describe('/api/v1/comments', () => {
 
     it('shouldn\'t create a comment when the asset has expired commenting', () => {
       return Asset.create({
-        status: 'closed',
-        statusChangedAt: new Date().setDate(0),
-        statusClosedMessage: 'tests said expired!'
+        settings: {
+          closedAt: new Date().setDate(0),
+          closedMessage: 'tests said expired!'
+        }
       })
       .then((asset) => {
         return chai.request(app)