diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/CMakeLists.txt b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -150,7 +150,6 @@
   clangTidy
   ${ALL_CLANG_TIDY_CHECKS}
 
-  clangdRemoteIndex
   clangdSupport
   )
 
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.h b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.h
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.h
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.h
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@
 using IndexFactory = std::function<std::unique_ptr<SymbolIndex>(
     const Config::ExternalIndexSpec &, AsyncTaskRunner &)>;
 
-/// Returns an index that answers queries using external indices. IndexGenerator
-/// can be used to customize how to generate an index from an external source.
-/// The default implementation loads the index asynchronously on the
-/// AsyncTaskRunner. The index will appear empty until loaded.
-std::unique_ptr<SymbolIndex> createProjectAwareIndex(IndexFactory = nullptr);
+/// Returns an index that answers queries using external indices. IndexFactory
+/// specifies how to generate an index from an external source.
+/// IndexFactory must be injected because this code cannot depend on the remote
+/// index client.
+std::unique_ptr<SymbolIndex> createProjectAwareIndex(IndexFactory);
 } // namespace clangd
 } // namespace clang
 
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.cpp b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.cpp
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.cpp
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/ProjectAware.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 #include "index/Serialization.h"
 #include "index/Symbol.h"
 #include "index/SymbolID.h"
-#include "index/remote/Client.h"
 #include "support/Logger.h"
 #include "support/Threading.h"
 #include "support/Trace.h"
@@ -124,33 +123,11 @@
     Entry.first->getSecond() = Gen(External, Tasks);
   return Entry.first->second.get();
 }
-
-std::unique_ptr<SymbolIndex>
-defaultFactory(const Config::ExternalIndexSpec &External,
-               AsyncTaskRunner &Tasks) {
-  switch (External.Kind) {
-  case Config::ExternalIndexSpec::Server:
-    log("Associating {0} with remote index at {1}.", External.MountPoint,
-        External.Location);
-    return remote::getClient(External.Location, External.MountPoint);
-  case Config::ExternalIndexSpec::File:
-    log("Associating {0} with monolithic index at {1}.", External.MountPoint,
-        External.Location);
-    auto NewIndex = std::make_unique<SwapIndex>(std::make_unique<MemIndex>());
-    Tasks.runAsync("Load-index:" + External.Location,
-                   [File = External.Location, PlaceHolder = NewIndex.get()] {
-                     if (auto Idx = loadIndex(File, /*UseDex=*/true))
-                       PlaceHolder->reset(std::move(Idx));
-                   });
-    return std::move(NewIndex);
-  }
-  llvm_unreachable("Invalid ExternalIndexKind.");
-}
 } // namespace
 
 std::unique_ptr<SymbolIndex> createProjectAwareIndex(IndexFactory Gen) {
-  return std::make_unique<ProjectAwareIndex>(Gen ? std::move(Gen)
-                                                 : defaultFactory);
+  assert(Gen);
+  return std::make_unique<ProjectAwareIndex>(std::move(Gen));
 }
 } // namespace clangd
 } // namespace clang
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/tool/ClangdMain.cpp b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/tool/ClangdMain.cpp
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/tool/ClangdMain.cpp
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/tool/ClangdMain.cpp
@@ -555,6 +555,27 @@
 const char TestScheme::TestDir[] = "/clangd-test";
 #endif
 
+std::unique_ptr<SymbolIndex>
+loadExternalIndex(const Config::ExternalIndexSpec &External,
+                  AsyncTaskRunner &Tasks) {
+  switch (External.Kind) {
+  case Config::ExternalIndexSpec::Server:
+    log("Associating {0} with remote index at {1}.", External.MountPoint,
+        External.Location);
+    return remote::getClient(External.Location, External.MountPoint);
+  case Config::ExternalIndexSpec::File:
+    log("Associating {0} with monolithic index at {1}.", External.MountPoint,
+        External.Location);
+    auto NewIndex = std::make_unique<SwapIndex>(std::make_unique<MemIndex>());
+    Tasks.runAsync("Load-index:" + External.Location,
+                   [File = External.Location, PlaceHolder = NewIndex.get()] {
+                     if (auto Idx = loadIndex(File, /*UseDex=*/true))
+                       PlaceHolder->reset(std::move(Idx));
+                   });
+    return std::move(NewIndex);
+  }
+  llvm_unreachable("Invalid ExternalIndexKind.");
+}
 } // namespace
 } // namespace clangd
 } // namespace clang
@@ -762,7 +783,7 @@
   }
 #endif
   Opts.BackgroundIndex = EnableBackgroundIndex;
-  auto PAI = createProjectAwareIndex();
+  auto PAI = createProjectAwareIndex(loadExternalIndex);
   if (StaticIdx) {
     IdxStack.emplace_back(std::move(StaticIdx));
     IdxStack.emplace_back(