diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index 43103e93534..f7bb33856aa 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -435,12 +435,8 @@ build:windows --dynamic_mode=off
 
 # Default paths for TF_SYSTEM_LIBS
 build:linux --define=PREFIX=/usr
-build:linux --define=LIBDIR=$(PREFIX)/lib
-build:linux --define=INCLUDEDIR=$(PREFIX)/include
 build:linux --define=PROTOBUF_INCLUDE_PATH=$(PREFIX)/include
 build:macos --define=PREFIX=/usr
-build:macos --define=LIBDIR=$(PREFIX)/lib
-build:macos --define=INCLUDEDIR=$(PREFIX)/include
 build:macos --define=PROTOBUF_INCLUDE_PATH=$(PREFIX)/include
 # TF_SYSTEM_LIBS do not work on windows.
 
diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index ac19b856d7c..e5700e0b84b 100644
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ def set_system_libs_flag(environ_cp):
       syslibs = ','.join(sorted(syslibs.split()))
     write_action_env_to_bazelrc('TF_SYSTEM_LIBS', syslibs)
 
-  for varname in ('PREFIX', 'LIBDIR', 'INCLUDEDIR', 'PROTOBUF_INCLUDE_PATH'):
+  for varname in ('PREFIX', 'PROTOBUF_INCLUDE_PATH'):
     if varname in environ_cp:
       write_to_bazelrc('build --define=%s=%s' % (varname, environ_cp[varname]))