diff --git a/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/Distutils/__init__.py b/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/Distutils/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 51c8e16b..00000000
--- a/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/Distutils/__init__.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-# work around broken setuptools monkey patching
diff --git a/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/Distutils/build_ext.py b/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/Distutils/build_ext.py
deleted file mode 100644
index bfe2a0a3..00000000
--- a/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/Distutils/build_ext.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-build_ext = "this setuptools bug has been around for a *very* long time ..."
diff --git a/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/__init__.py b/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 51c8e16b..00000000
--- a/fake_pyrex/Pyrex/__init__.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-# work around broken setuptools monkey patching
diff --git a/setupinfo.py b/setupinfo.py
index 10d47968..45d3fcb7 100644
--- a/setupinfo.py
+++ b/setupinfo.py
@@ -19,11 +19,6 @@
     have_cython = False
 
 
-if have_cython:
-    # may need to work around setuptools bug by providing a fake Pyrex
-    sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "fake_pyrex"))
-
-
 from setuptools.command import test, sdist
 from setuptools import Extension
 from distutils.core import Distribution