diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index ebbd085d149..7c64129d1ab 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ virtualenvs.create = true
 virtualenvs.in-project = null
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = true
 virtualenvs.options.no-pip = false
-virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = "{cache-dir}/virtualenvs"  # /path/to/cache/directory/virtualenvs
 virtualenvs.prefer-active-python = false
@@ -389,35 +388,10 @@ Poetry, for its internal operations, uses the `pip` wheel embedded in the `virtu
 in Poetry's runtime environment. If a user runs `poetry run pip` when this option is set to `true`, the `pip` the
 embedded instance of `pip` is used.
 
-You can safely set this, along with `no-setuptools`, to `true`, if you desire a virtual environment with no additional
-packages. This is desirable for production environments.
+You can safely set this to `true`, if you desire a virtual environment with no additional packages.
+This is desirable for production environments.
 {{% /note %}}
 
-### `virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools`
-
-**Type**: `boolean`
-
-**Default**: `false`
-
-**Environment Variable**: `POETRY_VIRTUALENVS_OPTIONS_NO_SETUPTOOLS`
-
-*Introduced in 1.2.0*
-
-If set to `true` the `--no-setuptools` parameter is passed to `virtualenv` on creation of the virtual environment. This
-means when a new virtual environment is created, `setuptools` will not be installed in the environment. Poetry, for its
-internal operations, does not require `setuptools` and this can safely be set to `true`.
-
-For environments using python 3.12 or later, `virtualenv` defaults to not
-installing `setuptools` when creating a virtual environment.
-In such environments this poetry configuration option therefore has no effect:
-`setuptools` is not installed either way.
-If your project relies on `setuptools`, you should declare it as a dependency.
-
-{{% warning %}}
-Some development tools like IDEs, make an assumption that `setuptools` (and other) packages are always present and
-available within a virtual environment. This can cause some features in these tools to not work as expected.
-{{% /warning %}}
-
 ### `virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages`
 
 **Type**: `boolean`
diff --git a/src/poetry/config/config.py b/src/poetry/config/config.py
index f2a8129f231..bf2f0948d03 100644
--- a/src/poetry/config/config.py
+++ b/src/poetry/config/config.py
@@ -114,12 +114,7 @@ class Config:
             "options": {
                 "always-copy": False,
                 "system-site-packages": False,
-                # we default to False here in order to prevent development environment
-                # breakages for IDEs etc. as when working in these environments
-                # assumptions are often made about virtual environments having pip and
-                # setuptools.
                 "no-pip": False,
-                "no-setuptools": False,
             },
             "prefer-active-python": False,
             "prompt": "{project_name}-py{python_version}",
@@ -305,7 +300,6 @@ def _get_normalizer(name: str) -> Callable[[str], Any]:
             "virtualenvs.in-project",
             "virtualenvs.options.always-copy",
             "virtualenvs.options.no-pip",
-            "virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools",
             "virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages",
             "virtualenvs.options.prefer-active-python",
             "experimental.system-git-client",
diff --git a/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py b/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py
index 25fec8ce72f..2bc524bed41 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py
@@ -66,10 +66,6 @@ def unique_config_values(self) -> dict[str, tuple[Any, Any]]:
                 boolean_normalizer,
             ),
             "virtualenvs.options.no-pip": (boolean_validator, boolean_normalizer),
-            "virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools": (
-                boolean_validator,
-                boolean_normalizer,
-            ),
             "virtualenvs.path": (str, lambda val: str(Path(val))),
             "virtualenvs.prefer-active-python": (boolean_validator, boolean_normalizer),
             "virtualenvs.prompt": (str, str),
diff --git a/src/poetry/utils/env/__init__.py b/src/poetry/utils/env/__init__.py
index 89882ddfd05..d15530a76ad 100644
--- a/src/poetry/utils/env/__init__.py
+++ b/src/poetry/utils/env/__init__.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def build_environment(
     if not env or poetry.package.build_script:
         with ephemeral_environment(
             executable=env.python if env else None,
-            flags={"no-pip": True, "no-setuptools": True, "no-wheel": True},
+            flags={"no-pip": True},
         ) as venv:
             if io:
                 requires = [
diff --git a/src/poetry/utils/env/env_manager.py b/src/poetry/utils/env/env_manager.py
index 60f49e99889..2e28e68fb9d 100644
--- a/src/poetry/utils/env/env_manager.py
+++ b/src/poetry/utils/env/env_manager.py
@@ -643,8 +643,6 @@ def build_venv(
         executable: Path | None = None,
         flags: dict[str, str | bool] | None = None,
         with_pip: bool | None = None,
-        with_wheel: bool | None = None,
-        with_setuptools: bool | None = None,
         prompt: str | None = None,
     ) -> virtualenv.run.session.Session:
         flags = flags or {}
@@ -652,25 +650,9 @@ def build_venv(
         if with_pip is not None:
             flags["no-pip"] = not with_pip
 
-        if with_wheel is not None:
-            wheel_flags: dict[str, str | bool] = (
-                {"wheel": "bundle"} if with_wheel else {"no-wheel": True}
-            )
-            flags.update(wheel_flags)
-
-        if with_setuptools is not None:
-            setuptools_flags: dict[str, str | bool] = (
-                {"setuptools": "bundle"} if with_setuptools else {"no-setuptools": True}
-            )
-            flags.update(setuptools_flags)
-
         flags.setdefault("no-pip", True)
-
-        if "setuptools" not in flags and "no-setuptools" not in flags:
-            flags["no-setuptools"] = True
-
-        if "wheel" not in flags and "no-wheel" not in flags:
-            flags["no-wheel"] = True
+        flags.setdefault("no-setuptools", True)
+        flags.setdefault("no-wheel", True)
 
         if WINDOWS:
             path = get_real_windows_path(path)
diff --git a/src/poetry/utils/isolated_build.py b/src/poetry/utils/isolated_build.py
index e78361f8480..5879676c691 100644
--- a/src/poetry/utils/isolated_build.py
+++ b/src/poetry/utils/isolated_build.py
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ def isolated_builder(
 
     with ephemeral_environment(
         executable=python_executable,
-        flags={"no-pip": True, "no-setuptools": True, "no-wheel": True},
+        flags={"no-pip": True},
     ) as venv:
         env = IsolatedEnv(venv, pool)
         stdout = StringIO()
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 1c443dbee30..53641dcb1d7 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -534,7 +534,6 @@ def venv_flags_default() -> dict[str, bool]:
         "always-copy": False,
         "system-site-packages": False,
         "no-pip": False,
-        "no-setuptools": False,
     }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/console/commands/env/test_use.py b/tests/console/commands/env/test_use.py
index 662e3434939..478ef414ef8 100644
--- a/tests/console/commands/env/test_use.py
+++ b/tests/console/commands/env/test_use.py
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ def test_activate_activates_non_existing_virtualenv_no_envs_file(
             "always-copy": False,
             "system-site-packages": False,
             "no-pip": False,
-            "no-setuptools": False,
         },
         prompt="simple-project-py3.7",
     )
diff --git a/tests/console/commands/test_config.py b/tests/console/commands/test_config.py
index ec88be4510d..737ec373474 100644
--- a/tests/console/commands/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/console/commands/test_config.py
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ def test_list_displays_default_value_if_not_set(
 virtualenvs.in-project = null
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.no-pip = false
-virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {venv_path}  # {config_cache_dir / 'virtualenvs'}
 virtualenvs.prefer-active-python = false
@@ -99,7 +98,6 @@ def test_list_displays_set_get_setting(
 virtualenvs.in-project = null
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.no-pip = false
-virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {venv_path}  # {config_cache_dir / 'virtualenvs'}
 virtualenvs.prefer-active-python = false
@@ -153,7 +151,6 @@ def test_unset_setting(
 virtualenvs.in-project = null
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.no-pip = false
-virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {venv_path}  # {config_cache_dir / 'virtualenvs'}
 virtualenvs.prefer-active-python = false
@@ -185,7 +182,6 @@ def test_unset_repo_setting(
 virtualenvs.in-project = null
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.no-pip = false
-virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {venv_path}  # {config_cache_dir / 'virtualenvs'}
 virtualenvs.prefer-active-python = false
@@ -315,7 +311,6 @@ def test_list_displays_set_get_local_setting(
 virtualenvs.in-project = null
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.no-pip = false
-virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {venv_path}  # {config_cache_dir / 'virtualenvs'}
 virtualenvs.prefer-active-python = false
@@ -356,7 +351,6 @@ def test_list_must_not_display_sources_from_pyproject_toml(
 virtualenvs.in-project = null
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.no-pip = false
-virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {venv_path}  # {config_cache_dir / 'virtualenvs'}
 virtualenvs.prefer-active-python = false
diff --git a/tests/masonry/builders/test_editable_builder.py b/tests/masonry/builders/test_editable_builder.py
index 18551c5af6e..82c63426b90 100644
--- a/tests/masonry/builders/test_editable_builder.py
+++ b/tests/masonry/builders/test_editable_builder.py
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ def test_builder_setup_generation_runs_with_pip_editable(
     poetry = Factory().create_poetry(extended_project)
 
     # we need a venv with pip and setuptools since we are verifying setup.py builds
-    with ephemeral_environment(flags={"no-setuptools": False, "no-pip": False}) as venv:
+    with ephemeral_environment(flags={"no-pip": False}) as venv:
         builder = EditableBuilder(poetry, venv, NullIO())
         builder.build()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_factory.py b/tests/test_factory.py
index dee66ba6a9f..2b38b60a1e8 100644
--- a/tests/test_factory.py
+++ b/tests/test_factory.py
@@ -554,7 +554,6 @@ def test_create_poetry_with_local_config(fixture_dir: FixtureDirGetter) -> None:
     assert not poetry.config.get("virtualenvs.create")
     assert not poetry.config.get("virtualenvs.options.always-copy")
     assert not poetry.config.get("virtualenvs.options.no-pip")
-    assert not poetry.config.get("virtualenvs.options.no-setuptools")
     assert not poetry.config.get("virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages")
 
 
diff --git a/tests/utils/env/test_env.py b/tests/utils/env/test_env.py
index 43d30c81d89..745b33a091d 100644
--- a/tests/utils/env/test_env.py
+++ b/tests/utils/env/test_env.py
@@ -313,15 +313,7 @@ def test_env_system_packages_are_relative_to_lib(
     ("flags", "packages"),
     [
         ({"no-pip": False}, {"pip"}),
-        ({"no-pip": False, "no-wheel": True}, {"pip"}),
-        ({"no-pip": False, "no-wheel": False}, {"pip", "wheel"}),
         ({"no-pip": True}, set()),
-        ({"no-setuptools": False}, {"setuptools"}),
-        ({"no-setuptools": True}, set()),
-        ({"setuptools": "bundle"}, {"setuptools"}),
-        ({"no-pip": True, "no-setuptools": False}, {"setuptools"}),
-        ({"no-wheel": False}, {"wheel"}),
-        ({"wheel": "bundle"}, {"wheel"}),
         ({}, set()),
     ],
 )
@@ -339,14 +331,6 @@ def test_env_no_pip(
         if package.name != "sqlite3"
     }
 
-    # For python >= 3.12, virtualenv defaults to "--no-setuptools" and "--no-wheel"
-    # behaviour, so setting these values to False becomes meaningless.
-    if sys.version_info >= (3, 12):
-        if not flags.get("no-setuptools", True):
-            packages.discard("setuptools")
-        if not flags.get("no-wheel", True):
-            packages.discard("wheel")
-
     assert installed_packages == packages
 
 
diff --git a/tests/utils/env/test_env_manager.py b/tests/utils/env/test_env_manager.py
index 88d973da3c7..7724e891118 100644
--- a/tests/utils/env/test_env_manager.py
+++ b/tests/utils/env/test_env_manager.py
@@ -150,7 +150,6 @@ def test_activate_in_project_venv_no_explicit_config(
             "always-copy": False,
             "system-site-packages": False,
             "no-pip": False,
-            "no-setuptools": False,
         },
         prompt="simple-project-py3.7",
     )
@@ -1179,7 +1178,6 @@ def test_create_venv_project_name_empty_sets_correct_prompt(
             "always-copy": False,
             "system-site-packages": False,
             "no-pip": False,
-            "no-setuptools": False,
         },
         prompt="non-package-mode-py3.7",
     )
@@ -1229,7 +1227,6 @@ def mock_check_output(cmd: str, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> str:
             "always-copy": False,
             "system-site-packages": False,
             "no-pip": False,
-            "no-setuptools": False,
         },
         prompt="simple-project-py3.5",
     )