diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/install_data.py b/Lib/distutils/command/install_data.py
index 448614b050f..fd9836b607e 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/install_data.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/install_data.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class install_data (install_misc):
         self._install_dir_from('install_data')
 
     def run (self):
-        self._copy_files(self.distribution.data)
+        self._copy_files(self.distribution.data_files)
 
     def get_inputs (self):
-        return self.distribution.data or []
+        return self.distribution.data_files or []
diff --git a/Lib/distutils/dist.py b/Lib/distutils/dist.py
index 998cff71902..24c8d2b8534 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/dist.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/dist.py
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ class Distribution:
         self.include_dirs = None
         self.extra_path = None
         self.scripts = None
-        self.data = None
+        self.data_files = None
 
         # And now initialize bookkeeping stuff that can't be supplied by
         # the caller at all.  'command_obj' maps command names to