diff --git a/cli/pbjs.js b/cli/pbjs.js
index ede8cb00a..63b4a543d 100644
--- a/cli/pbjs.js
+++ b/cli/pbjs.js
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ var path     = require("path"),
     pkg      = require("./package.json"),
     util     = require("./util");
 
-util.setup();
-
 var protobuf = require(util.pathToProtobufJs),
     minimist = require("minimist"),
     chalk    = require("chalk"),
diff --git a/cli/pbts.js b/cli/pbts.js
index cbe23cb8f..45256b88e 100644
--- a/cli/pbts.js
+++ b/cli/pbts.js
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 var child_process = require("child_process"),
     path     = require("path"),
     fs       = require("fs"),
-    pkg      = require("./package.json"),
-    util     = require("./util");
-
-util.setup();
+    pkg      = require("./package.json");
 
 var minimist = require("minimist"),
     chalk    = require("chalk"),
diff --git a/cli/util.js b/cli/util.js
index ffce1ed7e..52202370c 100644
--- a/cli/util.js
+++ b/cli/util.js
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 "use strict";
 var fs            = require("fs"),
-    path          = require("path"),
-    child_process = require("child_process");
-
-var semver;
+    path          = require("path");
 
 try {
     // installed as a peer dependency
@@ -113,49 +110,6 @@ exports.inspect = function inspect(object, indent) {
     return sb.join("\n");
 };
 
-function modExists(name, version) {
-    for (var i = 0; i < module.paths.length; ++i) {
-        try {
-            var pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(module.paths[i], name, "package.json")));
-            return semver
-                ? semver.satisfies(pkg.version, version)
-                : parseInt(pkg.version, 10) === parseInt(version.replace(/^[\^~]/, ""), 10); // used for semver only
-        } catch (e) {/**/}
-    }
-    return false;
-}
-
-function modInstall(install) {
-    child_process.execSync("npm --silent install " + (typeof install === "string" ? install : install.join(" ")), {
-        cwd: __dirname,
-        stdio: "ignore"
-    });
-}
-
-exports.setup = function() {
-    var pkg = require(path.join(__dirname, "..", "package.json"));
-    var version = pkg.dependencies["semver"] || pkg.devDependencies["semver"];
-    if (!modExists("semver", version)) {
-        process.stderr.write("installing semver@" + version + "\n");
-        modInstall("semver@" + version);
-    }
-    semver = require("semver"); // used from now on for version comparison
-    var install = [];
-    pkg.cliDependencies.forEach(function(name) {
-        if (name === "semver")
-            return;
-        version = pkg.dependencies[name] || pkg.devDependencies[name];
-        if (!modExists(name, version)) {
-            process.stderr.write("installing " + name + "@" + version + "\n");
-            install.push(name + "@" + version);
-        }
-    });
-    require("../scripts/postinstall"); // emit postinstall warning, if any
-    if (!install.length)
-        return;
-    modInstall(install);
-};
-
 exports.wrap = function(OUTPUT, options) {
     var name = options.wrap || "default";
     var wrap;
diff --git a/scripts/postinstall.js b/scripts/postinstall.js
index 37898b6d2..bf4ff454c 100644
--- a/scripts/postinstall.js
+++ b/scripts/postinstall.js
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@ var path = require("path"),
     fs   = require("fs"),
     pkg  = require(path.join(__dirname, "..", "package.json"));
 
-// ensure that there is a node_modules folder for cli dependencies
-try { fs.mkdirSync(path.join(__dirname, "..", "cli", "node_modules")); } catch (e) {/**/}
-
 // check version scheme used by dependents
 if (!pkg.versionScheme)
     return;