diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 03ca28762231..c7b8d6fa6b82 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -231,11 +231,6 @@ def run(self):
             fd.write(
                 template.safe_substitute(TEMPLATE_BACKEND=default_backend))
 
-        # Build in verbose mode if requested
-        if setupext.options['verbose']:
-            for mod in ext_modules:
-                mod.extra_compile_args.append('-DVERBOSE')
-
         # Finalize the extension modules so they can get the Numpy include
         # dirs
         for mod in ext_modules:
diff --git a/setupext.py b/setupext.py
index 27c315fff1d7..5644bae9dab5 100644
--- a/setupext.py
+++ b/setupext.py
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ def _get_xdg_cache_dir():
 # matplotlib build options, which can be altered using setup.cfg
 options = {
     'display_status': True,
-    'verbose': False,
     'backend': None,
     'basedirlist': None
     }