diff --git a/meta/classes/distutils3.bbclass b/meta/classes/distutils3.bbclass
index c70c46df86..a277921dd0 100644
--- a/meta/classes/distutils3.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/distutils3.bbclass
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 inherit distutils3-base
 
 DISTUTILS_BUILD_ARGS ?= ""
-DISTUTILS_BUILD_EXT_ARGS ?= ""
 DISTUTILS_INSTALL_ARGS ?= "--root=${D} \
     --prefix=${prefix} \
     --install-lib=${PYTHON_SITEPACKAGES_DIR} \