diff --git a/easybuild/framework/easyblock.py b/easybuild/framework/easyblock.py
index 0dc1e2e2a5..a786cbea2b 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/easyblock.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/easyblock.py
@@ -1409,10 +1409,7 @@ def make_module_pythonpath(self):
             use_ebpythonprefixes = False
             multi_deps = self.cfg['multi_deps']
 
-            if self.cfg['force_pythonpath']:
-                self.log.info("Using $PYTHONPATH to specify Python search path, since 'force_pythonpath' is set")
-
-            elif 'Python' in runtime_deps:
+            if 'Python' in runtime_deps:
                 self.log.info("Found Python runtime dependency, so considering $EBPYTHONPREFIXES...")
 
                 if build_option('prefer_python_search_path') == EBPYTHONPREFIXES:
diff --git a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py
index db1e12c324..438bcea4e1 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py
@@ -115,7 +115,6 @@
     'patches': [[], "List of patches to apply", BUILD],
     'prebuildopts': ['', 'Extra options pre-passed to build command.', BUILD],
     'preconfigopts': ['', 'Extra options pre-passed to configure.', BUILD],
-    'force_pythonpath': [False, "Force use of PYTHONPATH for python seearch path when possible.", BUILD],
     'preinstallopts': ['', 'Extra prefix options for installation.', BUILD],
     'pretestopts': ['', 'Extra prefix options for test.', BUILD],
     'postinstallcmds': [[], 'Commands to run after the install step.', BUILD],
diff --git a/test/framework/toy_build.py b/test/framework/toy_build.py
index e9b857ecee..edd9e94fcc 100644
--- a/test/framework/toy_build.py
+++ b/test/framework/toy_build.py
@@ -4302,13 +4302,6 @@ def test_toy_python(self):
         self.assertTrue(ebpythonprefixes_regex.search(toy_mod_txt),
                         f"Pattern '{ebpythonprefixes_regex.pattern}' found in: {toy_mod_txt}")
 
-        write_file(test_ec, test_ec_txt + "\ndependencies = [('Python', '3.6', '', SYSTEM)]\nforce_pythonpath = True")
-        self.run_test_toy_build_with_output(ec_file=test_ec, extra_args=args)
-        toy_mod_txt = read_file(toy_mod)
-
-        self.assertTrue(pythonpath_regex.search(toy_mod_txt),
-                        f"Pattern '{pythonpath_regex.pattern}' found in: {toy_mod_txt}")
-
 
 def suite():
     """ return all the tests in this file """