diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 8d0a385f7ae2dadc2ef2b894196da339059b5eea..21fe89c4fe556521732d566f8d8f3d033161db7a 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ from setuptools import setup
 try:
     from pypandoc import convert_file
     read_md = lambda f: convert_file(f, 'rst', format='md')
-    # auto-create RST version of README
-    with open('README', 'w') as f:
-        f.write(read_md('README.md'))
 except ImportError:
     print("warning: pypandoc module not found, could not convert Markdown to RST")
     read_md = lambda f: open(f, 'r').read()