diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix
index 50653d1abc4..781fc273de4 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
    (http://pypi.python.org/pypi/setuptools/), which represents a large
    number of Python packages nowadays.  */
 
-{ python, setuptools, wrapPython, lib, site, offlineDistutils }:
+{ python, setuptools, wrapPython, lib, site }:
 
 { name, namePrefix ? "python-"
 
@@ -69,15 +69,6 @@ python.stdenv.mkDerivation (attrs // {
 
   buildInputs = [ python wrapPython setuptools ] ++ buildInputs ++ pythonPath;
 
-  configurePhase = ''
-    # do not allow distutils to make downloads, whatever install command is used
-    export PYTHONPATH="${setuptools}/lib/${python.libPrefix}:$PYTHONPATH"
-    export PYTHONPATH="${offlineDistutils}/lib/${python.libPrefix}:$PYTHONPATH"
-
-    # enable pth files for dependencies
-    export PYTHONPATH="${site}/lib/${python.libPrefix}/site-packages:$PYTHONPATH"
-  '';
-
   # XXX: I think setuptools is not needed here
   pythonPath = [ setuptools site ] ++ pythonPath;
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/offline-distutils/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/offline-distutils/default.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index 2ed41b08bb7..00000000000
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/offline-distutils/default.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-# Used during module installation to prevent easy_install and python
-# setup.py install/test from downloading
-
-{ stdenv, python }:
-
-stdenv.mkDerivation {
-  name = "python-offline-distutils-${python.version}";
-
-  buildInputs = [ python ];
-
-  unpackPhase = "true";
-  installPhase = ''
-    dst="$out/lib/${python.libPrefix}"
-    ensureDir $dst/distutils
-    ln -s ${python}/lib/${python.libPrefix}/distutils/* $dst/distutils/
-    cat <<EOF > $dst/distutils/distutils.cfg
-[easy_install]
-allow-hosts = None
-EOF
-  '';
-}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index b8d26e94a9a..5abc9bc8020 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ let pythonPackages = python.modules // rec {
 
   buildPythonPackage = import ../development/python-modules/generic {
     inherit (pkgs) lib;
-    inherit python wrapPython setuptools site offlineDistutils;
+    inherit python wrapPython setuptools site;
   };
 
 
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@ let pythonPackages = python.modules // rec {
     inherit python;
   };
 
-  offlineDistutils = import ../development/python-modules/offline-distutils {
-    inherit (pkgs) stdenv;
-    inherit python;
-  };
 
   ipython = import ../shells/ipython {
     inherit (pkgs) stdenv fetchurl;