diff --git a/adminSiteClient/ChartEditor.ts b/adminSiteClient/ChartEditor.ts
index d79c9dee9fa..d13047ff5e0 100644
--- a/adminSiteClient/ChartEditor.ts
+++ b/adminSiteClient/ChartEditor.ts
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@ import {
     ChartRedirect,
     DimensionProperty,
     Json,
-    GrapherInterface,
-    diffGrapherConfigs,
-    isEqual,
-    omit,
 } from "@ourworldindata/utils"
 import { computed, observable, runInAction, when } from "mobx"
 import { BAKED_GRAPHER_URL } from "../settings/clientSettings.js"
@@ -101,7 +97,6 @@ export interface ChartEditorManager {
     admin: Admin
     grapher: Grapher
     database: EditorDatabase
-    parentGrapherConfig: GrapherInterface
     logs: Log[]
     references: References | undefined
     redirects: ChartRedirect[]
@@ -129,7 +124,7 @@ export class ChartEditor {
     @observable.ref errorMessage?: { title: string; content: string }
     @observable.ref previewMode: "mobile" | "desktop"
     @observable.ref showStaticPreview = false
-    @observable.ref savedPatchConfig: GrapherInterface = {}
+    @observable.ref savedGrapherJson: string = ""
 
     // This gets set when we save a new chart for the first time
     // so the page knows to update the url
@@ -142,26 +137,13 @@ export class ChartEditor {
                 ? "mobile"
                 : "desktop"
         when(
-            () => this.grapher.hasData && this.grapher.isReady,
-            () => (this.savedPatchConfig = this.patchConfig)
+            () => this.grapher.isReady,
+            () => (this.savedGrapherJson = JSON.stringify(this.grapher.object))
         )
     }
 
-    @computed get fullConfig(): GrapherInterface {
-        return this.grapher.object
-    }
-
-    @computed get patchConfig(): GrapherInterface {
-        const { parentGrapherConfig } = this.manager
-        if (!parentGrapherConfig) return this.fullConfig
-        return diffGrapherConfigs(this.fullConfig, parentGrapherConfig)
-    }
-
     @computed get isModified(): boolean {
-        return !isEqual(
-            omit(this.patchConfig, "version"),
-            omit(this.savedPatchConfig, "version")
-        )
+        return JSON.stringify(this.grapher.object) !== this.savedGrapherJson
     }
 
     @computed get grapher() {
@@ -256,12 +238,12 @@ export class ChartEditor {
             if (isNewGrapher) {
                 this.newChartId = json.chartId
                 this.grapher.id = json.chartId
-                this.savedPatchConfig = json.savedPatch
+                this.savedGrapherJson = JSON.stringify(this.grapher.object)
             } else {
                 runInAction(() => {
                     grapher.version += 1
                     this.logs.unshift(json.newLog)
-                    this.savedPatchConfig = json.savedPatch
+                    this.savedGrapherJson = JSON.stringify(currentGrapherObject)
                 })
             }
         } else onError?.()
diff --git a/adminSiteClient/ChartEditorPage.tsx b/adminSiteClient/ChartEditorPage.tsx
index b16eeac4229..e1d1a49fc82 100644
--- a/adminSiteClient/ChartEditorPage.tsx
+++ b/adminSiteClient/ChartEditorPage.tsx
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import {
     ChartRedirect,
     DimensionProperty,
 } from "@ourworldindata/types"
-import { defaultGrapherConfig, Grapher } from "@ourworldindata/grapher"
+import { Grapher } from "@ourworldindata/grapher"
 import { Admin } from "./Admin.js"
 import {
     ChartEditor,
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ export class ChartEditorPage
     extends React.Component<{
         grapherId?: number
         newGrapherIndex?: number
-        grapherConfig?: GrapherInterface
+        grapherConfig?: any
     }>
     implements ChartEditorManager
 {
@@ -124,9 +124,7 @@ export class ChartEditorPage
 
     @observable simulateVisionDeficiency?: VisionDeficiency
 
-    fetchedGrapherConfig?: GrapherInterface
-    // for now, every chart's parent config is the default layer
-    parentGrapherConfig = defaultGrapherConfig
+    fetchedGrapherConfig?: any
 
     async fetchGrapher(): Promise<void> {
         const { grapherId } = this.props
diff --git a/adminSiteClient/EditorHistoryTab.tsx b/adminSiteClient/EditorHistoryTab.tsx
index 4c0e8baf5f8..0fa832b4acf 100644
--- a/adminSiteClient/EditorHistoryTab.tsx
+++ b/adminSiteClient/EditorHistoryTab.tsx
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ export class EditorHistoryTab extends React.Component<{ editor: ChartEditor }> {
     @action.bound copyYamlToClipboard() {
         // Use the Clipboard API to copy the config into the users clipboard
         const chartConfigObject = {
-            ...this.props.editor.patchConfig,
+            ...this.props.editor.grapher.object,
         }
         delete chartConfigObject.id
         delete chartConfigObject.dimensions
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ export class EditorHistoryTab extends React.Component<{ editor: ChartEditor }> {
         // Avoid modifying the original JSON object
         // Due to mobx memoizing computed values, the JSON can be mutated.
         const chartConfigObject = {
-            ...this.props.editor.patchConfig,
+            ...this.props.editor.grapher.object,
         }
         return (
             <div>
@@ -157,12 +157,7 @@ export class EditorHistoryTab extends React.Component<{ editor: ChartEditor }> {
                     <ul key={i} className="list-group">
                         <LogRenderer
                             log={log}
-                            // Needed for comparison, might be undefined
-                            previousLog={
-                                i + 1 < this.logs.length
-                                    ? this.logs[i + 1]
-                                    : undefined
-                            }
+                            previousLog={this.logs[i + 1]} // Needed for comparison, might be undefined
                             applyConfig={this.applyConfig}
                         ></LogRenderer>
                     </ul>