diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_rule.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_rule.cpp
index b226dc865..b6f3e4bc8 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_rule.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_rule.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ struct rule_pickle_suite : boost::python::pickle_suite
     static boost::python::tuple
     getinitargs(const rule& r)
     {
-        return boost::python::make_tuple(r.get_name(),r.get_title(),r.get_min_scale(),r.get_max_scale());
+        return boost::python::make_tuple(r.get_name(),r.get_min_scale(),r.get_max_scale());
     }
 
     static  boost::python::tuple
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ struct rule_pickle_suite : boost::python::pickle_suite
         // We serialize filter expressions AST as strings
         std::string filter_expr = to_expression_string(*r.get_filter());
 
-        return boost::python::make_tuple(r.get_abstract(),filter_expr,r.has_else_filter(),r.has_also_filter(),syms);
+        return boost::python::make_tuple(filter_expr,r.has_else_filter(),r.has_also_filter(),syms);
     }
 
     static void
@@ -119,11 +119,6 @@ struct rule_pickle_suite : boost::python::pickle_suite
         }
 
         if (state[0])
-        {
-            r.set_title(extract<std::string>(state[0]));
-        }
-
-        if (state[1])
         {
             rule dfl;
             std::string filter = extract<std::string>(state[1]);
@@ -134,12 +129,12 @@ struct rule_pickle_suite : boost::python::pickle_suite
             }
         }
 
-        if (state[2])
+        if (state[1])
         {
             r.set_else(true);
         }
 
-        if (state[3])
+        if (state[2])
         {
             r.set_also(true);
         }
@@ -176,18 +171,12 @@ void export_rule()
 
     class_<rule>("Rule",init<>("default constructor"))
         .def(init<std::string const&,
-             boost::python::optional<std::string const&,double,double> >())
+             boost::python::optional<double,double> >())
         .def_pickle(rule_pickle_suite())
         .add_property("name",make_function
                       (&rule::get_name,
                        return_value_policy<copy_const_reference>()),
                       &rule::set_name)
-        .add_property("title",make_function
-                      (&rule::get_title,return_value_policy<copy_const_reference>()),
-                      &rule::set_title)
-        .add_property("abstract",make_function
-                      (&rule::get_abstract,return_value_policy<copy_const_reference>()),
-                      &rule::set_abstract)
         .add_property("filter",make_function
                       (&rule::get_filter,return_value_policy<copy_const_reference>()),
                       &rule::set_filter)
diff --git a/include/mapnik/rule.hpp b/include/mapnik/rule.hpp
index 9664d1173..eb5a02c7e 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/rule.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/rule.hpp
@@ -132,8 +132,6 @@ public:
 private:
     
     std::string name_;
-    std::string title_;
-    std::string abstract_;
     double min_scale_;
     double max_scale_;
     symbolizers syms_;
@@ -143,8 +141,6 @@ private:
 public:
     rule()
         : name_(),
-          title_(),
-          abstract_(),
           min_scale_(0),
           max_scale_(std::numeric_limits<double>::infinity()),
           syms_(),
@@ -153,11 +149,9 @@ public:
           also_filter_(false) {}
     
     rule(const std::string& name,
-         const std::string& title="",
          double min_scale_denominator=0,
          double max_scale_denominator=std::numeric_limits<double>::infinity())
         : name_(name),
-          title_(title),
           min_scale_(min_scale_denominator),
           max_scale_(max_scale_denominator),
           syms_(),
@@ -167,8 +161,6 @@ public:
     
     rule(const rule& rhs, bool deep_copy = false)
         : name_(rhs.name_),
-          title_(rhs.title_),
-          abstract_(rhs.abstract_),
           min_scale_(rhs.min_scale_),
           max_scale_(rhs.max_scale_),
           syms_(rhs.syms_),
@@ -263,27 +255,7 @@ public:
     {
         return name_;
     }
-    
-    std::string const& get_title() const
-    {
-        return  title_;
-    }
-    
-    void set_title(std::string const& title)
-    {
-        title_=title;
-    }
-    
-    void set_abstract(std::string const& abstract)
-    {
-        abstract_=abstract;
-    }
-    
-    std::string const& get_abstract() const
-    {
-        return abstract_;
-    }
-    
+        
     void append(const symbolizer& sym)
     {
         syms_.push_back(sym);
@@ -362,8 +334,6 @@ private:
     void swap(rule& rhs) throw()
     {
         name_=rhs.name_;
-        title_=rhs.title_;
-        abstract_=rhs.abstract_;
         min_scale_=rhs.min_scale_;
         max_scale_=rhs.max_scale_;
         syms_=rhs.syms_;
diff --git a/src/load_map.cpp b/src/load_map.cpp
index 37231b790..bbb2ee641 100644
--- a/src/load_map.cpp
+++ b/src/load_map.cpp
@@ -577,8 +577,6 @@ void map_parser::parse_layer( Map & map, ptree const & lay )
     s << "name,"
       << "srs,"
       << "status,"
-      << "title,"
-      << "abstract,"
       << "minzoom,"
       << "maxzoom,"
       << "queryable,"
@@ -753,14 +751,12 @@ void map_parser::parse_layer( Map & map, ptree const & lay )
 
 void map_parser::parse_rule( feature_type_style & style, ptree const & r )
 {
-    ensure_attrs(r, "Rule", "name,title");
+    ensure_attrs(r, "Rule", "name");
     std::string name;
     try
     {
         name = get_attr( r, "name", std::string());
-        std::string title = get_attr( r, "title", std::string());
-
-        rule rule(name,title);
+        rule rule(name);
 
         optional<std::string> filter_expr =
             get_opt_child<std::string>( r, "Filter");
diff --git a/src/save_map.cpp b/src/save_map.cpp
index 862925fb1..ae237a1c9 100644
--- a/src/save_map.cpp
+++ b/src/save_map.cpp
@@ -647,11 +647,7 @@ void serialize_rule( ptree & style_node, const rule & r, bool explicit_defaults)
     {
         set_attr(rule_node, "name", r.get_name());
     }
-    if ( r.get_title() != dfl.get_title() )
-    {
-        set_attr(rule_node, "title", r.get_title());
-    }
-
+    
     if ( r.has_else_filter() )
     {
         rule_node.push_back( ptree::value_type(