diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/text.py b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
index caa5dcdaf73f..9f5b9a5970c6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/text.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 from matplotlib.path import Path
 from matplotlib.artist import allow_rasterization
 
-from matplotlib.backend_bases import RendererBase
 from matplotlib.textpath import TextPath