diff --git a/editors/nvi/Makefile b/editors/nvi/Makefile
index d8ccd75ac0f4..aafce0345522 100644
--- a/editors/nvi/Makefile
+++ b/editors/nvi/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# $NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.54 2020/05/24 05:22:01 nia Exp $
+# $NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.55 2020/05/31 16:29:54 rillig Exp $
 
 DISTNAME=	nvi-1.81.6
 PKGREVISION=	13
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ LDFLAGS+=		-flat_namespace
 
 # Use of db1 is not officially supported.
 BDB_ACCEPTED=		db3 db4
-CONFIGURE_ARGS+=	--with-db=system
 .include "../../mk/bdb.buildlink3.mk"
 .if ${BDB_TYPE} == "db1"
 CONFIGURE_ARGS+=	--with-db_type=db1