diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ac68f3ce4b..9ab3834cf8 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1886,14 +1886,6 @@ config.input.qt_licheck = $Licheck
 config.input.qt_release_date = $ReleaseDate
 EOF
 
-# create a clean qmodule/qconfig.pri for running the tests
-# .qmake.cache loads qt_build_parts which requires that qmodule.pri exists
-for arg in qconfig qmodule; do
-    file="$outpath/mkspecs/$arg.pri"
-    [ ! -f "$file.old" ] && [ -f "$file" ] && mv "$file" "$file.old"
-    : > "$file"
-done
-
 # recreate command line for qmake
 set -f
 SAVED_IFS=$IFS
@@ -1909,17 +1901,6 @@ IFS=$SAVED_IFS
 $CFG_QMAKE_PATH -o Makefile.cfg -qtconf "$QTCONFFILE" $relpath/configure.pri -- "$@" || exit 101
 rm Makefile.cfg
 
-# Re-use old file if unchanged, to avoid needless rebuilds
-for arg in qconfig qmodule; do
-    file="$outpath/mkspecs/$arg.pri"
-    if cmp -s "$file" "$file.old"; then
-        rm -f "$file"
-        mv "$file.old" "$file"
-    else
-        rm -f "$file.old"
-    fi
-done
-
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # give feedback on configuration
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/configure.pri b/configure.pri
index 0a25d46b00..bd899073c4 100644
--- a/configure.pri
+++ b/configure.pri
@@ -773,6 +773,10 @@ defineTest(qtConfReport_buildMode) {
     qtConfReportPadded($$1, $$build_mode)
 }
 
+# ensure pristine environment for configuration
+discard_from($$[QT_HOST_DATA/get]/mkspecs/qconfig.pri)
+discard_from($$[QT_HOST_DATA/get]/mkspecs/qmodule.pri)
+
 # load and process input from configure
 exists("$$OUT_PWD/config.tests/configure.cfg") {
     include("$$OUT_PWD/config.tests/configure.cfg")
diff --git a/mkspecs/features/qt_build_config.prf b/mkspecs/features/qt_build_config.prf
index f12cbb88fc..e0e8ef9f51 100644
--- a/mkspecs/features/qt_build_config.prf
+++ b/mkspecs/features/qt_build_config.prf
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 !contains(QMAKE_INTERNAL_INCLUDED_FILES, .*qmodule\\.pri) {
     QMAKE_QT_MODULE = $$[QT_HOST_DATA/get]/mkspecs/qmodule.pri
     !exists($$QMAKE_QT_MODULE)|!include($$QMAKE_QT_MODULE, "", true) {
-        error("Cannot load qmodule.pri!")
+        debug(1, "Cannot load qmodule.pri!")
     } else {
         debug(1, "Loaded qmodule.pri from ($$QMAKE_QT_MODULE)")
     }
diff --git a/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp b/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp
index f9782e0920..650ede7474 100644
--- a/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp
+++ b/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp
@@ -999,21 +999,6 @@ void Configure::buildQmake()
 
 void Configure::configure()
 {
-    static const char * const files[] = { "qmodule", "qconfig" };
-
-    for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
-        QFile file(buildPath + "/mkspecs/" + files[i] + ".pri");
-        QString oldfn = file.fileName() + ".old";
-        if (file.exists() && !QFileInfo::exists(oldfn))
-            QFile::rename(file.fileName(), oldfn);
-        if (!file.open(QFile::WriteOnly | QFile::Text)) {
-            cout << "Failed to create file " << qPrintable(file.fileName()) << endl;
-            dictionary[ "DONE" ] = "error";
-            return;
-        }
-        file.close();
-    }
-
     FileWriter ci(buildPath + "/config.tests/configure.cfg");
     ci << "# Feature defaults set by configure command line\n"
        << "config.input.qt_edition = " << dictionary["EDITION"] << "\n"
@@ -1034,19 +1019,6 @@ void Configure::configure()
         cout << "Qmake failed, return code " << exitCode  << endl << endl;
         dictionary[ "DONE" ] = "error";
     }
-
-    for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
-        QFile file(buildPath + "/mkspecs/" + files[i] + ".pri");
-        QFile oldFile(file.fileName() + ".old");
-        if (oldFile.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text)
-                && file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text)
-                && oldFile.readAll() == file.readAll()) {
-            file.remove();
-            oldFile.rename(file.fileName());
-        } else {
-            oldFile.remove();
-        }
-    }
 }
 
 void Configure::generateMakefiles()