diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index a11e27d34..0b64da2cf 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -416,7 +416,6 @@ BUILD LOCAL REFERENCE (LOCKER) LAYER
     <starr
       srcdir="${src.dir}/library"
       destdir="${locker.dir}/lib/library"
-      usepredefs="no"
       addparams="${nsc.params}" target="${nsc.target}"
       deprecation="yes" unchecked="yes"
       classpath="${locker.dir}/lib/library"
@@ -545,7 +544,6 @@ BUILD QUICK-TEST LAYER
     <locker
       srcdir="${src.dir}/library"
       destdir="${quick.dir}/lib/library"
-      usepredefs="no"
       addparams="${nsc.params}" target="${nsc.target}"
       deprecation="yes" unchecked="yes"
       scalacdebugging="${nsc.log-files}"
@@ -788,7 +786,6 @@ CLDC
     <quick
       srcdir="${cldc.dir}/src"
       destdir="${cldc.dir}/lib/library"
-      usepredefs="no"
       addparams="${nsc.params}"
       target="cldc"
       scalacdebugging="${nsc.log-files}"
@@ -938,7 +935,6 @@ ANDROID
     <quick
       srcdir="${android.dir}/src"
       destdir="${android.dir}/lib/library"
-      usepredefs="no"
       deprecation="yes" unchecked="yes"
       addparams="${nsc.params}"
       extdirs=""
@@ -1078,7 +1074,7 @@ MSIL
   </target>
 
   <target name="msil.libraries" depends="setup.quick, msil.sources">
-    <quick srcdir="${msil.dir}/src" usepredefs="no" target="msil"
+    <quick srcdir="${msil.dir}/src" target="msil"
            assemname="${msil.dir}/predef" assemrefs="${lib.dir}"
            failonerror="false">
       <include name="scala/Predef.scala"/>
@@ -1187,7 +1183,7 @@ OPTIMIZE
     <quick
       srcdir="${src.dir}/library"
       destdir="${optimised.dir}/lib/library"
-      usepredefs="no" addparams="${nsc.params}" target="${nsc.target}"
+      addparams="${nsc.params}" target="${nsc.target}"
       deprecation="yes" unchecked="yes"
       optimise="yes"
       classpath="${optimised.dir}/lib/library"
@@ -1319,7 +1315,6 @@ TEST
     <quick
       srcdir="${src.dir}/library"
       destdir="${strap.dir}/lib/library"
-      usepredefs="no"
       addparams="${nsc.params}" target="${nsc.target}"
       deprecation="yes" unchecked="yes"
       classpath="${strap.dir}/lib/library"
diff --git a/debian/simpbuild.xml b/debian/simpbuild.xml
index 84ed2bca1..3c788a38d 100644
--- a/debian/simpbuild.xml
+++ b/debian/simpbuild.xml
@@ -242,7 +242,6 @@
     <scalac
       srcdir="${src.lib.dir}"
       destdir="${build.lib.dir}"
-      usepredefs="no"
       deprecation="yes" unchecked="yes"
     >
       <classpath>
diff --git a/src/compiler/scala/tools/ant/Scalac.scala b/src/compiler/scala/tools/ant/Scalac.scala
index 0f5397d83..246d40116 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scala/tools/ant/Scalac.scala
+++ b/src/compiler/scala/tools/ant/Scalac.scala
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ import scala.tools.nsc.reporters.{Reporter, ConsoleReporter}
  *    <li>force,</li>
  *    <li>logging,</li>
  *    <li>logphase,</li>
- *    <li>usepredefs,</li>
  *    <li>debuginfo,</li>
  *    <li>addparams,</li>
  *    <li>scalacdebugging,</li>
@@ -133,8 +132,6 @@ class Scalac extends MatchingTask {
   /** Which compilation phases should be logged during compilation. */
   private var logPhase: List[String] = Nil
 
-  /** Whether to use implicit predefined values or not. */
-  private var usepredefs: Option[Boolean] = None
   /** Instruct the compiler to generate debugging information */
   private var debugInfo: Option[String] = None
   /** Instruct the compiler to use additional parameters */
@@ -300,10 +297,6 @@ class Scalac extends MatchingTask {
     }
   }
 
-  /** Sets the <code>usepredefs</code> attribute. Used by Ant.
-   *  @param input The value for <code>usepredefs</code>. */
-  def setUsepredefs(input: Boolean) { usepredefs = Some(input) }
-
   /** Set the <code>debug</code> info attribute.
    *  @param input The value for <code>debug</code>. */
   def setDebuginfo(input: String) { debugInfo = Some(input) }
@@ -543,7 +536,6 @@ class Scalac extends MatchingTask {
       settings.debug.value = true
     }
     if (!logPhase.isEmpty) settings.log.value = logPhase
-    if (!usepredefs.isEmpty) settings.nopredefs.value = !usepredefs.get
     if (!debugInfo.isEmpty) settings.debuginfo.value = debugInfo.get
     if (!deprecation.isEmpty) settings.deprecation.value = deprecation.get
     if (!optimise.isEmpty) settings.XO.value = optimise.get