diff --git a/Doc/library/python.rst b/Doc/library/python.rst
index 0fdfa53f72d..7d4d8279ba5 100644
--- a/Doc/library/python.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/python.rst
@@ -24,5 +24,4 @@ overview:
    gc.rst
    inspect.rst
    site.rst
-   user.rst
    fpectl.rst
diff --git a/Doc/library/user.rst b/Doc/library/user.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index ba9426210ad..00000000000
--- a/Doc/library/user.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-
-:mod:`user` --- User-specific configuration hook
-================================================
-
-.. module:: user
-   :synopsis: A standard way to reference user-specific modules.
-
-
-.. index::
-   pair: .pythonrc.py; file
-   triple: user; configuration; file
-
-As a policy, Python doesn't run user-specified code on startup of Python
-programs.  (Only interactive sessions execute the script specified in the
-:envvar:`PYTHONSTARTUP` environment variable if it exists).
-
-However, some programs or sites may find it convenient to allow users to have a
-standard customization file, which gets run when a program requests it.  This
-module implements such a mechanism.  A program that wishes to use the mechanism
-must execute the statement ::
-
-   import user
-
-.. index:: builtin: exec
-
-The :mod:`user` module looks for a file :file:`.pythonrc.py` in the user's home
-directory and if it can be opened, executes it (using :func:`exec`) in its
-own (the module :mod:`user`'s) global namespace.  Errors during this phase are
-not caught; that's up to the program that imports the :mod:`user` module, if it
-wishes.  The home directory is assumed to be named by the :envvar:`HOME`
-environment variable; if this is not set, the current directory is used.
-
-The user's :file:`.pythonrc.py` could conceivably test for ``sys.version`` if it
-wishes to do different things depending on the Python version.
-
-A warning to users: be very conservative in what you place in your
-:file:`.pythonrc.py` file.  Since you don't know which programs will use it,
-changing the behavior of standard modules or functions is generally not a good
-idea.
-
-A suggestion for programmers who wish to use this mechanism: a simple way to let
-users specify options for your package is to have them define variables in their
-:file:`.pythonrc.py` file that you test in your module.  For example, a module
-:mod:`spam` that has a verbosity level can look for a variable
-``user.spam_verbose``, as follows::
-
-   import user
-
-   verbose = bool(getattr(user, "spam_verbose", 0))
-
-(The three-argument form of :func:`getattr` is used in case the user has not
-defined ``spam_verbose`` in their :file:`.pythonrc.py` file.)
-
-Programs with extensive customization needs are better off reading a
-program-specific customization file.
-
-Programs with security or privacy concerns should *not* import this module; a
-user can easily break into a program by placing arbitrary code in the
-:file:`.pythonrc.py` file.
-
-Modules for general use should *not* import this module; it may interfere with
-the operation of the importing program.
-
-
-.. seealso::
-
-   Module :mod:`site`
-      Site-wide customization mechanism.
-
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_sundry.py b/Lib/test/test_sundry.py
index ed46067e352..db7ed4e553a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_sundry.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_sundry.py
@@ -77,10 +77,6 @@ class TestUntestedModules(unittest.TestCase):
             except ImportError:
                 if test_support.verbose:
                     print("skipping tty")
-
-            # Can't test the "user" module -- if the user has a ~/.pythonrc.py, it
-            # can screw up all sorts of things (esp. if it prints!).
-            #import user
             import webbrowser
             import xml
 
diff --git a/Lib/user.py b/Lib/user.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 99efd2d2406..00000000000
--- a/Lib/user.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-"""Hook to allow user-specified customization code to run.
-
-As a policy, Python doesn't run user-specified code on startup of
-Python programs (interactive sessions execute the script specified in
-the PYTHONSTARTUP environment variable if it exists).
-
-However, some programs or sites may find it convenient to allow users
-to have a standard customization file, which gets run when a program
-requests it.  This module implements such a mechanism.  A program
-that wishes to use the mechanism must execute the statement
-
-    import user
-
-The user module looks for a file .pythonrc.py in the user's home
-directory and if it can be opened and read, exec()s it in its own global
-namespace.  Errors during this phase are not caught; that's up to the
-program that imports the user module, if it wishes.
-
-The user's .pythonrc.py could conceivably test for sys.version if it
-wishes to do different things depending on the Python version.
-
-"""
-
-import os
-
-home = os.curdir                        # Default
-if 'HOME' in os.environ:
-    home = os.environ['HOME']
-elif os.name == 'posix':
-    home = os.path.expanduser("~/")
-elif os.name == 'nt':                   # Contributed by Jeff Bauer
-    if 'HOMEPATH' in os.environ:
-        if 'HOMEDRIVE' in os.environ:
-            home = os.environ['HOMEDRIVE'] + os.environ['HOMEPATH']
-        else:
-            home = os.environ['HOMEPATH']
-
-pythonrc = os.path.join(home, ".pythonrc.py")
-try:
-    f = open(pythonrc)
-except IOError:
-    pass
-else:
-    f.close()
-    exec(open(pythonrc).read())
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 93cb7d561ec..4cf93533ab8 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ Extension Modules
 Library
 -------
 
+- The user module has been removed.
+
 - The imputil module has been removed.
 
 Build