diff --git a/docs/Makefile b/docs/Makefile
index 1e6c06ede..a8345f1e8 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile
+++ b/docs/Makefile
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ BUILDDIR      = _build
 PAPEROPT_a4     = --define latex_paper_size=a4
 PAPEROPT_letter = --define latex_paper_size=letter
 ALLSPHINXOPTS   = --doctree-dir $(BUILDDIR)/doctrees $(PAPEROPT_$(PAPER)) $(SPHINXOPTS) .
-# the i18n builder cannot share the environment and doctrees with the others
-I18NSPHINXOPTS  = $(PAPEROPT_$(PAPER)) $(SPHINXOPTS) .
 
 .PHONY: help
 help: