diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 52d977236f..d544a3d2f6 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -11183,8 +11183,7 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
                 </para>
 
                 <para>
-                    Recipes that inherit the
-                    <link linkend='ref-classes-distutils'><filename>distutils</filename></link>
+                    Recipes that inherit the <filename>distutils</filename>
                     class during cross-builds also use this variable to
                     locate the headers and libraries of the appropriate Python
                     that the extension is targeting.