diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/python.el b/lisp/progmodes/python.el
index 4b9a29845c5..2da5337b8c5 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/python.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/python.el
@@ -465,7 +465,6 @@ This variant of `rx' supports common python named REGEXPS."
   ;; string delimiters.  Fixme: Is there a better way?
   ;; First avoid a sequence preceded by an odd number of backslashes.
   `((,(concat "\\(?:\\([RUru]\\)[Rr]?\\|^\\|[^\\]\\(?:\\\\.\\)*\\)" ;Prefix.
-              "\\(?:''''''\\|\"\"\"\"\"\"\\)" ; Empty triple-quote
               "\\(?:\\('\\)'\\('\\)\\|\\(?2:\"\\)\"\\(?3:\"\\)\\)")
      (3 (python-quote-syntax)))))