diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8e499a98bbe03a70c18cb4930afd8ffd82ad59c8..c877c242432ef2e7b6a7e49f25074e96b1b81da3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -740,10 +740,6 @@ 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 1d27cae69e2004472785bd34a8489cd0206f6dba..e8e6076f9a08a752411a281f5d971ed890a428e7 100644
--- a/hadrian/cfg/system.config.in
+++ b/hadrian/cfg/system.config.in
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ sphinx-build   = @SPHINXBUILD@
 system-ghc     = @WithGhc@
 system-ghc-pkg = @GhcPkgCmd@
 tar            = @TarCmd@
-patch          = @PatchCmd@
 xelatex        = @XELATEX@
 makeindex      = @MAKEINDEX@
 makeinfo       = @MAKEINFO@