diff --git a/lib/spack/docs/build_systems/pythonpackage.rst b/lib/spack/docs/build_systems/pythonpackage.rst
index 69d47de62b..f1c85d92cb 100644
--- a/lib/spack/docs/build_systems/pythonpackage.rst
+++ b/lib/spack/docs/build_systems/pythonpackage.rst
@@ -23,20 +23,11 @@ can be overridden:
 * ``build_ext``
 * ``build_clib``
 * ``build_scripts``
-* ``clean``
 * ``install``
 * ``install_lib``
 * ``install_headers``
 * ``install_scripts``
 * ``install_data``
-* ``sdist``
-* ``register``
-* ``bdist``
-* ``bdist_dumb``
-* ``bdist_rpm``
-* ``bdist_wininst``
-* ``upload``
-* ``check``
 
 These are all standard ``setup.py`` commands and can be found by running:
 
@@ -55,7 +46,7 @@ If for whatever reason you need to run more phases, simply modify your
 
 .. code-block:: python
 
-   phases = ['build_ext', 'install', 'bdist']
+   phases = ['build_ext', 'install']
 
 
 Each phase provides a function ``<phase>`` that runs:
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
index ddb057bcd4..54fa7ad978 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
@@ -26,20 +26,11 @@ class PythonPackage(PackageBase):
     * build_ext
     * build_clib
     * build_scripts
-    * clean
     * install
     * install_lib
     * install_headers
     * install_scripts
     * install_data
-    * sdist
-    * register
-    * bdist
-    * bdist_dumb
-    * bdist_rpm
-    * bdist_wininst
-    * upload
-    * check
 
     These are all standard setup.py commands and can be found by running:
 
@@ -221,16 +212,6 @@ def build_scripts_args(self, spec, prefix):
         """Arguments to pass to build_scripts."""
         return []
 
-    def clean(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Clean up temporary files from 'build' command."""
-        args = self.clean_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('clean', *args)
-
-    def clean_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to clean."""
-        return []
-
     def install(self, spec, prefix):
         """Install everything from build directory."""
         args = self.install_args(spec, prefix)
@@ -304,86 +285,6 @@ def install_data_args(self, spec, prefix):
         """Arguments to pass to install_data."""
         return []
 
-    def sdist(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Create a source distribution (tarball, zip file, etc.)."""
-        args = self.sdist_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('sdist', *args)
-
-    def sdist_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to sdist."""
-        return []
-
-    def register(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Register the distribution with the Python package index."""
-        args = self.register_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('register', *args)
-
-    def register_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to register."""
-        return []
-
-    def bdist(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Create a built (binary) distribution."""
-        args = self.bdist_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('bdist', *args)
-
-    def bdist_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to bdist."""
-        return []
-
-    def bdist_dumb(self, spec, prefix):
-        '''Create a "dumb" built distribution.'''
-        args = self.bdist_dumb_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('bdist_dumb', *args)
-
-    def bdist_dumb_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to bdist_dumb."""
-        return []
-
-    def bdist_rpm(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Create an RPM distribution."""
-        args = self.bdist_rpm(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('bdist_rpm', *args)
-
-    def bdist_rpm_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to bdist_rpm."""
-        return []
-
-    def bdist_wininst(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Create an executable installer for MS Windows."""
-        args = self.bdist_wininst_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('bdist_wininst', *args)
-
-    def bdist_wininst_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to bdist_wininst."""
-        return []
-
-    def upload(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Upload binary package to PyPI."""
-        args = self.upload_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('upload', *args)
-
-    def upload_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to upload."""
-        return []
-
-    def check(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Perform some checks on the package."""
-        args = self.check_args(spec, prefix)
-
-        self.setup_py('check', *args)
-
-    def check_args(self, spec, prefix):
-        """Arguments to pass to check."""
-        return []
-
     # Testing
 
     def test(self):