diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3a8317122dc80026e6a989e442a15862c5d8ac9c..68a2ec43a685dfb46005ea15ea39fb3b86bd9644 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -765,10 +765,6 @@ dnl ** check for tar
 dnl   if GNU tar is named gtar, look for it first.
 AC_PATH_PROGS(TarCmd,gnutar gtar tar,tar)
 
-dnl ** check for patch
-dnl if GNU patch is named gpatch, look for it first
-AC_PATH_PROGS(PatchCmd,gpatch patch, patch)
-
 dnl ** check for autoreconf
 AC_PATH_PROG(AutoreconfCmd, autoreconf, autoreconf)
 
diff --git a/hadrian/cfg/system.config.in b/hadrian/cfg/system.config.in
index 491267386979e5ea32521c21b4b8a6d8fbea9bcc..42fbe15d0258a0c8c8712cf4c379379a6e105108 100644
--- a/hadrian/cfg/system.config.in
+++ b/hadrian/cfg/system.config.in
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ system-cc      = @CC_STAGE0@
 system-ghc     = @WithGhc@
 system-ghc-pkg = @GhcPkgCmd@
 tar            = @TarCmd@
-patch          = @PatchCmd@
 xelatex        = @XELATEX@
 makeindex      = @MAKEINDEX@
 makeinfo       = @MAKEINFO@