diff --git a/app/models/post.rb b/app/models/post.rb
index 49fcdd17d..c54ee6501 100644
--- a/app/models/post.rb
+++ b/app/models/post.rb
@@ -276,18 +276,6 @@ class Post < ApplicationRecord
       end
     end
 
-    def appeal!(reason)
-      if is_status_locked?
-        raise PostAppeal::Error.new("Post is locked and cannot be appealed")
-      end
-
-      appeal = appeals.create(:reason => reason)
-
-      if appeal.errors.any?
-        raise PostAppeal::Error.new(appeal.errors.full_messages.join("; "))
-      end
-    end
-
     def approve!(approver = CurrentUser.user)
       approvals.create(user: approver)
     end
diff --git a/test/functional/moderator/dashboards_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/moderator/dashboards_controller_test.rb
index 9475e8ad4..a1a11a851 100644
--- a/test/functional/moderator/dashboards_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/moderator/dashboards_controller_test.rb
@@ -127,14 +127,10 @@ module Moderator
         end
 
         context "for appeals" do
-          setup do
-            as(@user) do
-              @post = create(:post, :is_deleted => true)
-              @post.appeal!("blah")
-            end
-          end
-
           should "render" do
+            @post = create(:post, is_deleted: true)
+            @appeal = create(:post_appeal, post: @post)
+
             get_auth moderator_dashboard_path, @admin
             assert_response :success
           end
diff --git a/test/functional/post_events_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/post_events_controller_test.rb
index 3bd1cbfa7..98f0045b7 100644
--- a/test/functional/post_events_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/post_events_controller_test.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class PostEventsControllerTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
     as_user do
       @post = create(:post)
       @post.flag!("aaa")
-      @post.appeal!("aaa")
+      create(:post_appeal, post: @post)
       @post.approve!(@mod)
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/unit/post_test.rb b/test/unit/post_test.rb
index 428bb366b..01eb27534 100644
--- a/test/unit/post_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/post_test.rb
@@ -482,9 +482,7 @@ class PostTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       end
 
       should "be appealed" do
-        assert_difference("PostAppeal.count", 1) do
-          @post.appeal!("xxx")
-        end
+        create(:post_appeal, post: @post)
         assert(@post.is_deleted?, "Post should still be deleted")
         assert_equal(1, @post.appeals.count)
       end
@@ -561,9 +559,10 @@ class PostTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       end
 
       should "not allow new appeals" do
-        assert_raises(PostAppeal::Error) do
-          @post.appeal!("wrong")
-        end
+        @appeal = build(:post_appeal, post: @post)
+
+        assert_equal(false, @appeal.valid?)
+        assert_equal(["Post is active"], @appeal.errors.full_messages)
       end
 
       should "not allow approval" do