diff --git a/temba/channels/models.py b/temba/channels/models.py
index f6a6c211a1f..44a677c8ad3 100644
--- a/temba/channels/models.py
+++ b/temba/channels/models.py
@@ -659,8 +659,8 @@ def release(self, user, *, trigger_sync: bool = True):
         for incident in self.incidents.filter(ended_on=None):
             incident.end()
 
-        # any template translations for this channel are marked inactive
-        self.template_translations.filter(is_active=True).update(is_active=False)
+        # delete template translations for this channel
+        self.template_translations.all().delete()
 
     def delete(self):
         for trigger in self.triggers.all():
diff --git a/temba/channels/tests.py b/temba/channels/tests.py
index 4f3bd8e7738..3bf0dca38ca 100644
--- a/temba/channels/tests.py
+++ b/temba/channels/tests.py
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ def test_release(self, mr_mocks):
         self.assertNotIn(channel1, flow.channel_dependencies.all())
         self.assertEqual(0, channel1.triggers.filter(is_active=True).count())
         self.assertEqual(0, channel1.incidents.filter(ended_on=None).count())
-        self.assertEqual(0, channel1.template_translations.filter(is_active=True).count())
+        self.assertEqual(0, channel1.template_translations.count())
 
         # check that we queued a task to interrupt sessions tied to this channel
         self.assertEqual(
diff --git a/temba/orgs/tests.py b/temba/orgs/tests.py
index 82a2567bc1f..db50c4a4c12 100644
--- a/temba/orgs/tests.py
+++ b/temba/orgs/tests.py
@@ -1307,18 +1307,16 @@ def _create_flow_content(self, org, user, channels, contacts, groups, add) -> tu
 
         add(WebHookEvent.objects.create(org=org, resthook=resthook, data={}))
 
-        template_trans1 = add(
-            TemplateTranslation.get_or_create(
-                channels[0],
-                "hello",
-                locale="eng-US",
-                status=TemplateTranslation.STATUS_APPROVED,
-                external_id="1234",
-                external_locale="en_US",
-                namespace="foo_namespace",
-                components=[{"name": "body", "type": "body/text", "content": "Hello", "variables": {}, "params": []}],
-                variables=[],
-            )
+        template_trans1 = TemplateTranslation.get_or_create(
+            channels[0],
+            "hello",
+            locale="eng-US",
+            status=TemplateTranslation.STATUS_APPROVED,
+            external_id="1234",
+            external_locale="en_US",
+            namespace="foo_namespace",
+            components=[{"name": "body", "type": "body/text", "content": "Hello", "variables": {}, "params": []}],
+            variables=[],
         )
         add(template_trans1.template)
         flow1.template_dependencies.add(template_trans1.template)
diff --git a/temba/templates/models.py b/temba/templates/models.py
index b134a6f5937..20f33601911 100644
--- a/temba/templates/models.py
+++ b/temba/templates/models.py
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ def update_local(cls, channel, raw_templates: list):
         """
         Updates the local translations against the fetched raw templates from the given channel
         """
+
         refreshed = []
         for raw_template in raw_templates:
             translation = channel.template_type.update_local(channel, raw_template)
@@ -126,21 +127,11 @@ def update_local(cls, channel, raw_templates: list):
             if translation:
                 refreshed.append(translation)
 
-        # trim any translations we didn't keep
-        cls.trim(channel, refreshed)
-
-    @classmethod
-    def trim(cls, channel, existing):
-        """
-        Trims what channel templates exist for this channel based on the set of templates passed in
-        """
-        ids = [tc.id for tc in existing]
-
-        # mark any that weren't included as inactive
-        cls.objects.filter(channel=channel).exclude(id__in=ids).update(is_active=False)
+        # delete any template translations we didn't see
+        channel.template_translations.exclude(id__in=[tt.id for tt in refreshed]).delete()
 
-        # Make sure the seen one are active
-        cls.objects.filter(channel=channel, id__in=ids, is_active=False).update(is_active=True)
+        # TODO remove this once inactive translations are all hard deleted
+        cls.objects.filter(channel=channel, id__in=[tc.id for tc in refreshed], is_active=False).update(is_active=True)
 
     @classmethod
     def get_or_create(
diff --git a/temba/templates/tests.py b/temba/templates/tests.py
index 4779eb72a65..d184e5da475 100644
--- a/temba/templates/tests.py
+++ b/temba/templates/tests.py
@@ -83,21 +83,6 @@ def test_model(self):
         self.assertEqual(3, TemplateTranslation.objects.filter(channel=channel1).count())
         self.assertEqual(1, TemplateTranslation.objects.filter(channel=channel2).count())
 
-        # trim them
-        TemplateTranslation.trim(channel1, [hello_eng, hello_fra])
-
-        # non-included translations should be inactive now
-        hello_eng.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertTrue(hello_eng.is_active)
-        hello_fra.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertTrue(hello_fra.is_active)
-        goodbye_fra.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertFalse(goodbye_fra.is_active)
-
-        # but not for other channels
-        goodbye_fra_other_channel.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertTrue(hello_eng.is_active)
-
     def test_update_local(self):
         channel = self.create_channel("WA", "Channel 1", "1234")
 
@@ -145,8 +130,7 @@ def test_update_local(self):
         )
 
         self.assertEqual({"hello", "goodbye"}, set(Template.objects.values_list("name", flat=True)))
-        self.assertEqual(1, TemplateTranslation.objects.filter(channel=channel, is_active=True).count())
-        self.assertEqual(2, TemplateTranslation.objects.filter(channel=channel, is_active=False).count())
+        self.assertEqual(1, channel.template_translations.count())
 
     @patch("temba.templates.models.TemplateTranslation.update_local")
     @patch("temba.channels.types.twilio_whatsapp.TwilioWhatsappType.fetch_templates")