diff --git a/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/server.go b/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/server.go
index e6a241659ed..7dade63854f 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/server.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/server.go
@@ -2208,20 +2208,12 @@ func (s *Server) dropSources(ctx context.Context, ts *trafficSwitcher, removalTy
 		sw = &switcher{ts: ts, s: s}
 	}
 
-	// Lock the source and target keyspaces.
+	// Lock the source keyspace.
 	ctx, sourceUnlock, lockErr := sw.lockKeyspace(ctx, ts.SourceKeyspaceName(), "DropSources")
 	if lockErr != nil {
 		return defaultErrorHandler(ts.Logger(), fmt.Sprintf("failed to lock the %s keyspace", ts.SourceKeyspaceName()), lockErr)
 	}
 	defer sourceUnlock(&err)
-	if ts.TargetKeyspaceName() != ts.SourceKeyspaceName() {
-		lockCtx, targetUnlock, lockErr := sw.lockKeyspace(ctx, ts.TargetKeyspaceName(), "DropSources")
-		if lockErr != nil {
-			return defaultErrorHandler(ts.Logger(), fmt.Sprintf("failed to lock the %s keyspace", ts.TargetKeyspaceName()), lockErr)
-		}
-		defer targetUnlock(&err)
-		ctx = lockCtx
-	}
 
 	if !force {
 		if err := sw.validateWorkflowHasCompleted(ctx); err != nil {
@@ -2239,10 +2231,6 @@ func (s *Server) dropSources(ctx context.Context, ts *trafficSwitcher, removalTy
 			if err := sw.dropSourceDeniedTables(ctx); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
-			if err := sw.dropTargetDeniedTables(ctx); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-
 		case binlogdatapb.MigrationType_SHARDS:
 			s.Logger().Infof("Removing shards")
 			if err := sw.dropSourceShards(ctx); err != nil {