diff --git a/DEPS b/DEPS
index b33230f..d8b649b 100644
--- a/DEPS
+++ b/DEPS
@@ -124,7 +124,6 @@
   "benchmark_harness_rev": "7d0d28e7946702db34ae121543774f60bf8cf03c",
   "boolean_selector_rev": "f255921c7155da2167e8c96e04e527180787aafb",
   "browser_launcher_rev": "1f69393d63a2f8d36d00b86cdd20df70c347af82",
-  "characters_rev": "7633a16a22c626e19ca750223237396315268a06",
   "cli_util_rev": "44118e35e55c75f84fbc5ead051424ee1e73e406",
   "clock_rev": "1e75f08d3428bcd6f4b7cf70e788f24fc9b661e1",
   "collection_rev": "91afde43f488eef618454b896301c6ff59af72e0",
@@ -364,8 +363,6 @@
       "@" + Var("boolean_selector_rev"),
   Var("dart_root") + "/third_party/pkg/browser_launcher":
       Var("dart_git") + "browser_launcher.git" + "@" + Var("browser_launcher_rev"),
-  Var("dart_root") + "/third_party/pkg/characters":
-      Var("dart_git") + "characters.git" + "@" + Var("characters_rev"),
   Var("dart_root") + "/third_party/pkg/cli_util":
       Var("dart_git") + "cli_util.git" + "@" + Var("cli_util_rev"),
   Var("dart_root") + "/third_party/pkg/clock":
diff --git a/tools/VERSION b/tools/VERSION
index 96a4a2f..676474f 100644
--- a/tools/VERSION
+++ b/tools/VERSION
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@
 MAJOR 3
 MINOR 2
 PATCH 0
-PRERELEASE 172
+PRERELEASE 173
 PRERELEASE_PATCH 0