diff --git a/IPython/core/builtin_trap.py b/IPython/core/builtin_trap.py
index 0cdefd6..ad0eb2d 100644
--- a/IPython/core/builtin_trap.py
+++ b/IPython/core/builtin_trap.py
@@ -102,11 +102,6 @@ class BuiltinTrap(Configurable):
         for name, func in self.auto_builtins.iteritems():
             add_builtin(name, func)
 
-        # Keep in the builtins a flag for when IPython is active.  We set it
-        # with setdefault so that multiple nested IPythons don't clobber one
-        # another.
-        __builtin__.__dict__.setdefault('__IPYTHON__active', 0)
-
     def deactivate(self):
         """Remove any builtins which might have been added by add_builtins, or
         restore overwritten ones to their previous values."""
@@ -115,7 +110,3 @@ class BuiltinTrap(Configurable):
             remove_builtin(key, val)
         self._orig_builtins.clear()
         self._builtins_added = False
-        try:
-            del __builtin__.__dict__['__IPYTHON__active']
-        except KeyError:
-            pass
diff --git a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
index e88c44a..d430e3b 100644
--- a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
@@ -573,6 +573,20 @@ class InteractiveShell(SingletonConfigurable, Magic):
             self.magic_logstart()
 
     def init_builtins(self):
+        # A single, static flag that we set to True.  Its presence indicates
+        # that an IPython shell has been created, and we make no attempts at
+        # removing on exit or representing the existence of more than one
+        # IPython at a time.
+        builtin_mod.__dict__['__IPYTHON__'] = True
+
+        # In 0.11 we introduced '__IPYTHON__active' as an integer we'd try to
+        # manage on enter/exit, but with all our shells it's virtually
+        # impossible to get all the cases right.  We're leaving the name in for
+        # those who adapted their codes to check for this flag, but will
+        # eventually remove it after a few more releases.
+        builtin_mod.__dict__['__IPYTHON__active'] = \
+                                          'Deprecated, check for __IPYTHON__'
+
         self.builtin_trap = BuiltinTrap(shell=self)
 
     def init_inspector(self):
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py
index f8cc10d..c438750 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py
@@ -341,9 +341,6 @@ class TerminalInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):
 
         more = False
 
-        # Mark activity in the builtins
-        __builtin__.__dict__['__IPYTHON__active'] += 1
-
         if self.has_readline:
             self.readline_startup_hook(self.pre_readline)
             hlen_b4_cell = self.readline.get_current_history_length()
@@ -413,9 +410,6 @@ class TerminalInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):
                     hlen_b4_cell = \
                         self._replace_rlhist_multiline(source_raw, hlen_b4_cell)
 
-        # We are off again...
-        __builtin__.__dict__['__IPYTHON__active'] -= 1
-
         # Turn off the exit flag, so the mainloop can be restarted if desired
         self.exit_now = False