diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d80f33440..e5c40fdf4 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -132,12 +132,8 @@ else
 endif
 
 if get_option('man')
-  if fs.exists('man/gnome-shell.1')
-    install_man('man/gnome-shell.1')
-  else
-    a2x = find_program('a2x')
-    subdir('man')
-  endif
+  a2x = find_program('a2x')
+  subdir('man')
 endif
 
 mutter_typelibdir = mutter_dep.get_variable('typelibdir')
@@ -326,7 +322,6 @@ gnome.post_install(
   gtk_update_icon_cache: true
 )
 
-meson.add_dist_script('meson/generate-manpages.py')
 meson.add_dist_script('meson/generate-stylesheets.py')
 meson.add_dist_script('meson/check-version.py', meson.project_version(), 'NEWS')
 
diff --git a/meson/generate-manpages.py b/meson/generate-manpages.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e12df61b4..000000000
--- a/meson/generate-manpages.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
-
-import os
-from pathlib import PurePath
-import subprocess
-
-man_pages = [
-    'man/gnome-shell.1',
-    'subprojects/extensions-tool/man/gnome-extensions.1',
-]
-
-sourceroot = os.environ.get('MESON_SOURCE_ROOT')
-distroot = os.environ.get('MESON_DIST_ROOT')
-
-for man_page in man_pages:
-    page_path = PurePath(man_page)
-    src = PurePath(sourceroot, page_path.with_suffix('.txt'))
-    dst = PurePath(distroot, page_path)
-    stylesheet = src.with_name('stylesheet.xsl')
-
-    subprocess.call(['a2x', '--xsl-file', os.fspath(stylesheet),
-      '--format', 'manpage', '--destination-dir', os.fspath(dst.parent),
-      os.fspath(src)])
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build b/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
index 572e3edd0..7ae2cf14b 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
@@ -47,12 +47,8 @@ if bash_completion.found()
 endif
 
 if get_option('man')
-  if fs.exists('man/gnome-extensions.1')
-    install_man('man/gnome-extensions.1')
-  else
-    a2x = find_program('a2x')
-    subdir('man')
-  endif
+  a2x = find_program('a2x')
+  subdir('man')
 endif
 
 if not meson.is_subproject()