diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/package.py b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
index 3d1f87d599e..4872b249845 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/package.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
@@ -1094,7 +1094,6 @@ def do_install(self,
                    keep_prefix=False,
                    keep_stage=False,
                    install_deps=True,
-                   install_self=True,
                    skip_patch=False,
                    verbose=False,
                    make_jobs=None,