diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 46063b5d..f1773044 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -602,19 +602,6 @@ if [ $WITH_DOCS = "1" ] ; then
     fi
 fi
 
-have_gpgconf_socketdir=0
-printf "Checking for gpgconf --{create,remove}-socketdir... "
-if gpgconf --dump-options > /dev/null ; then
-    if gpgconf --dump-options | grep -q create-socketdir ; then
-	printf "Yes.\n"
-	have_gpgconf_socketdir=1
-    else
-	printf "No.\n"
-    fi
-else
-    printf "No. (missing or broken gpgconf?)\n"
-fi
-
 libdir_in_ldconfig=0
 
 printf "Checking which platform we are on... "
@@ -1192,9 +1179,6 @@ NOTMUCH_PYTHON=${python}
 # Are the ruby development files (and ruby) available? If not skip
 # building/testing ruby bindings.
 NOTMUCH_HAVE_RUBY_DEV=${have_ruby_dev}
-
-# Recent enough gnupg to support gpgconf --create-socketdir?
-NOTMUCH_HAVE_GPGCONF_SOCKETDIR=${have_gpgconf_socketdir}
 EOF
 
 # Finally, after everything configured, inform the user how to continue.