diff --git a/asv/plugins/virtualenv.py b/asv/plugins/virtualenv.py
index c8923bc0f..752d22598 100644
--- a/asv/plugins/virtualenv.py
+++ b/asv/plugins/virtualenv.py
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@
 from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 import sys
 import re
-import inspect
 import os
-import subprocess
 
 import six
 
@@ -58,11 +56,6 @@ def __init__(self, conf, python, requirements):
             raise environment.EnvironmentUnavailable(
                 "virtualenv package not installed")
 
-        # Can't use `virtualenv.__file__` here, because that will refer to a
-        # .pyc file which can't be used on another version of Python
-        self._virtualenv_path = os.path.abspath(
-            inspect.getsourcefile(virtualenv))
-
     @staticmethod
     def _find_python(python):
         """Find Python executable for the given Python version"""
@@ -137,7 +130,7 @@ def _setup(self):
         log.info("Creating virtualenv for {0}".format(self.name))
         util.check_call([
             sys.executable,
-            self._virtualenv_path,
+            "-mvirtualenv",
             '--no-site-packages',
             "-p",
             self._executable,