diff --git a/rattail_fabric/backup.py b/rattail_fabric/backup.py
index 8676f85..dbffa64 100644
--- a/rattail_fabric/backup.py
+++ b/rattail_fabric/backup.py
@@ -79,9 +79,6 @@ def deploy_backup_app(deploy, envname, mkvirtualenv=True, user='rattail',
             deploy_generic('backup/git-exclude', '.git/info/exclude', owner=user)
         sudo('bin/pip install --upgrade --upgrade-strategy eager --editable src/rattail', user=user)
 
-        # TODO: this should not be necessary
-        sudo('bin/pip install --upgrade --upgrade-strategy eager rattail[db]', user=user)
-
         # config
         sudo('bin/rattail make-appdir', user=user)
         deploy(config, 'app/rattail.conf', owner=user, mode='0600')