diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py b/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
index e345071c9e7..d5f872badf0 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
@@ -52,14 +52,6 @@
 #: config section for this file
 configuration = spack.config.get('modules')
 
-#: Root folders where the various module files should be written
-#: When install --upstream run then the upstream location is targeted
-# if spack.config.get('config:shared'):
-#     roots = {'tcl':    os.path.join(spack.util.path.canonicalize_path("$spack") ,'/share/spack/modules'),
-#              'lmod':   os.path.join(spack.util.path.canonicalize_path("$spack") ,'/share/spack/lmod'),
-#              'dotkit': os.path.join(spack.util.path.canonicalize_path("$spack") ,'/share/spack/dotkit')}
-# else:
-#     roots = spack.config.get('config:module_roots', {})
 roots = spack.config.get('config:module_roots', {})