diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
index fd772acfbb..a308e77cb9 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
@@ -393,11 +393,15 @@ def remove_files_from_view(self, view, merge_map):
                 self.spec
             )
         )
+
+        to_remove = []
         for src, dst in merge_map.items():
             if ignore_namespace and namespace_init(dst):
                 continue
 
             if global_view or not path_contains_subdirectory(src, bin_dir):
-                view.remove_file(src, dst)
+                to_remove.append(dst)
             else:
                 os.remove(dst)
+
+        view.remove_files(to_remove)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/filesystem_view.py b/lib/spack/spack/filesystem_view.py
index 27a8708596..659ae550ae 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/filesystem_view.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/filesystem_view.py
@@ -442,11 +442,7 @@ def unmerge(self, spec, ignore=None):
         # now unmerge the directory tree
         tree.unmerge_directories(view_dst, ignore_file)
 
-    def remove_file(self, src, dest):
-        if not os.path.lexists(dest):
-            tty.warn("Tried to remove %s which does not exist" % dest)
-            return
-
+    def remove_files(self, files):
         def needs_file(spec, file):
             # convert the file we want to remove to a source in this spec
             projection = self.get_projection_for_spec(spec)
@@ -465,16 +461,23 @@ def needs_file(spec, file):
                 manifest = {}
             return test_path in manifest
 
-        # remove if dest is not owned by any other package in the view
-        # This will only be false if two packages are merged into a prefix
-        # and have a conflicting file
+        specs = self.get_all_specs()
 
-        # check all specs for whether they own the file. That include the spec
-        # we are currently removing, as we remove files before unlinking the
-        # metadata directory.
-        if len([s for s in self.get_all_specs()
-                if needs_file(s, dest)]) <= 1:
-            os.remove(dest)
+        for file in files:
+            if not os.path.lexists(file):
+                tty.warn("Tried to remove %s which does not exist" % file)
+                continue
+
+            # remove if file is not owned by any other package in the view
+            # This will only be false if two packages are merged into a prefix
+            # and have a conflicting file
+
+            # check all specs for whether they own the file. That include the spec
+            # we are currently removing, as we remove files before unlinking the
+            # metadata directory.
+            if len([s for s in specs if needs_file(s, file)]) <= 1:
+                tty.debug("Removing file " + file)
+                os.remove(file)
 
     def check_added(self, spec):
         assert spec.concrete
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/package.py b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
index 00ba8a38d5..c22898c5a3 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/package.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
@@ -469,8 +469,7 @@ def remove_files_from_view(self, view, merge_map):
         example if two packages include the same file, it should only be
         removed when both packages are removed.
         """
-        for src, dst in merge_map.items():
-            view.remove_file(src, dst)
+        view.remove_files(merge_map.values())
 
 
 def test_log_pathname(test_stage, spec):