diff --git a/src/fvm_multicell.hpp b/src/fvm_multicell.hpp
index ee3363d4772c696d522277588f06103dec3178a3..fcad113b5f8b8a35a23e326d7ff6654aebe3b83c 100644
--- a/src/fvm_multicell.hpp
+++ b/src/fvm_multicell.hpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ inline int find_cv_index(const segment_location& loc, const compartment_model& g
     return index;
 };
 
-template <typename Value, typename Index, typename DivPolicy=div_compartment_integrator>
+template <typename Value, typename Index>
 class fvm_multicell {
 public:
     fvm_multicell() = default;
@@ -247,16 +247,12 @@ private:
 //////////////////////////////// Implementation ////////////////////////////////
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-template <typename T, typename I, typename DivPolicy>
-void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::compute_cv_area_unnormalized_capacitance(
+template <typename T, typename I>
+void fvm_multicell<T, I>::compute_cv_area_unnormalized_capacitance(
     std::pair<size_type, size_type> comp_ival,
     const segment* seg,
     index_type &parent)
 {
-    using util::left;
-    using util::right;
-    using util::size;
-
     // precondition: group_parent_index[j] holds the correct value for
     // j in [base_comp, base_comp+segment.num_compartments()].
 
@@ -307,7 +303,7 @@ void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::compute_cv_area_unnormalized_capacitance(
         auto c_m = cable->mechanism("membrane").get("c_m").value;
         auto r_L = cable->mechanism("membrane").get("r_L").value;
 
-        auto divs = div_compartments<DivPolicy>(cable, ncomp);
+        auto divs = div_compartments<div_compartment_integrator>(cable, ncomp);
 
         for (auto i: util::make_span(comp_ival)) {
             const auto& div = divs(i-comp_ival.first);
@@ -343,9 +339,6 @@ void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::compute_cv_area_unnormalized_capacitance(
             auto conductance = 1/r_L*h*V1*V2/(h2*h2*V1+h1*h1*V2);
             face_alpha_[i] = conductance / (c_m * h);
 
-            // auto halflen = c.length/2;
-            // auto al = math::area_frustrum(halflen, left(c.radius), radius_center);
-            // auto ar = math::area_frustrum(halflen, right(c.radius), radius_center);
             auto al = div.left.area;
             auto ar = div.right.area;
 
@@ -360,9 +353,9 @@ void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::compute_cv_area_unnormalized_capacitance(
     }
 }
 
-template <typename T, typename I, typename DivPolicy>
+template <typename T, typename I>
 template <typename Cells, typename Detectors, typename Targets, typename Probes>
-void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::initialize(
+void fvm_multicell<T, I>::initialize(
     const Cells& cells,
     Detectors& detector_handles,
     Targets& target_handles,
@@ -611,8 +604,8 @@ void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::initialize(
     reset();
 }
 
-template <typename T, typename I, typename DivPolicy>
-void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::setup_matrix(T dt) {
+template <typename T, typename I>
+void fvm_multicell<T, I>::setup_matrix(T dt) {
     using memory::all;
 
     // convenience accesors to matrix storage
@@ -655,8 +648,8 @@ void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::setup_matrix(T dt) {
     }
 }
 
-template <typename T, typename I, typename DivPolicy>
-void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::reset() {
+template <typename T, typename I>
+void fvm_multicell<T, I>::reset() {
     voltage_(memory::all) = resting_potential_;
     t_ = 0.;
     for (auto& m : mechanisms_) {
@@ -664,8 +657,8 @@ void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::reset() {
     }
 }
 
-template <typename T, typename I, typename DivPolicy>
-void fvm_multicell<T, I, DivPolicy>::advance(T dt) {
+template <typename T, typename I>
+void fvm_multicell<T, I>::advance(T dt) {
     using memory::all;
 
     PE("current");
diff --git a/tests/validation/trace_analysis.cpp b/tests/validation/trace_analysis.cpp
index ba024ea660ac6b2756c91de2fe11fef066f5dc3d..78ef5ada3ff39e8155aa9db97181274fb0fef118 100644
--- a/tests/validation/trace_analysis.cpp
+++ b/tests/validation/trace_analysis.cpp
@@ -48,12 +48,10 @@ double linf_distance(const trace_data& u, const trace_data& ref) {
                 [&](trace_entry x) { return std::abs(x.v-f(x.t)); }));
 }
 
-/*
- * Compute linf distance as above, but excluding sample points that lie
- * near points in `excl`.
- *
- * `excl` contains the times to exclude, in ascending order.
- */
+// Compute linf distance as above, but excluding sample points that lie
+// near points in `excl`.
+//
+// `excl` contains the times to exclude, in ascending order.
 
 double linf_distance(const trace_data& u, const trace_data& ref, const std::vector<float>& excl) {
     trace_interpolant f{ref};
diff --git a/tests/validation/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp b/tests/validation/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
index 015aad960dd6e06d2e98417d57fcdfa4912bd7f9..788b78745bb949b79b64e86ac2bd00b924d63f64 100644
--- a/tests/validation/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
+++ b/tests/validation/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
@@ -127,10 +127,9 @@ TEST(rallpack1, numeric_ref) {
         250.f);
 }
 
-template <typename Policy>
-using lowered_cell_div = fvm::fvm_multicell<double, cell_local_size_type, Policy>;
-
 TEST(ball_and_squiggle, neuron_ref) {
+    using lowered_cell = fvm::fvm_multicell<double, cell_local_size_type>;
+
     cell c = make_cell_ball_and_squiggle();
     add_common_voltage_probes(c);
 
@@ -141,13 +140,18 @@ TEST(ball_and_squiggle, neuron_ref) {
         {"dend.end", {0u, 2u}, simple_sampler(sample_dt)}
     };
 
+#if 0
+    // *temporarily* disabled: compartment division policy will
+    // be moved into backend policy classes.
+
     run_ncomp_convergence_test<lowered_cell_div<div_compartment_sampler>>(
         "ball_and_squiggle_sampler",
         "neuron_ball_and_squiggle.json",
         c,
         samplers);
+#endif
 
-    run_ncomp_convergence_test<lowered_cell_div<div_compartment_integrator>>(
+    run_ncomp_convergence_test<lowered_cell>(
         "ball_and_squiggle_integrator",
         "neuron_ball_and_squiggle.json",
         c,
diff --git a/tests/validation/validate_compartment_policy.cpp b/tests/validation/validate_compartment_policy.cpp
index 6ee21327f09945884b6516bf860f911269377d37..e03f800c27b340efd211d5e79ddc9f33d68ce66b 100644
--- a/tests/validation/validate_compartment_policy.cpp
+++ b/tests/validation/validate_compartment_policy.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 
 using namespace nest::mc;
 
+#if 0
+// *Temporarily* disabled: compartment division policy
+// will be moved to backend policy class.
+
 /*
  * Expect dendtrites composed of a simple frustrum to give
  * essentially identical results no matter the compartment
@@ -93,3 +97,4 @@ TEST(compartment_policy, validate_ball_and_taper) {
     run_test(make_cell_ball_and_taper());
 }
 
+#endif