diff --git a/openlane/scripts/openroad/common/io.tcl b/openlane/scripts/openroad/common/io.tcl
index cc73bf9bf..b7f99a1f1 100644
--- a/openlane/scripts/openroad/common/io.tcl
+++ b/openlane/scripts/openroad/common/io.tcl
@@ -204,7 +204,6 @@ proc read_lefs {{tlef_key "TECH_LEF"}} {
 }
 
 proc set_dont_use_cells {} {
-    set_dont_use $::env(PNR_EXCLUDED_CELLS)
     if { [info exists ::env(RSZ_DONT_USE_CELLS)] } {
         set_dont_use $::env(RSZ_DONT_USE_CELLS)
     }
diff --git a/openlane/steps/openroad.py b/openlane/steps/openroad.py
index 00df15c69..442ee0007 100644
--- a/openlane/steps/openroad.py
+++ b/openlane/steps/openroad.py
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
 from ..logging import debug, err, info, warn, verbose, console, options
 from ..common import (
     Path,
-    TclUtils,
     get_script_dir,
     get_tpe,
     mkdirp,
@@ -242,13 +241,6 @@ def prepare_env(self, env: dict, state: State) -> dict:
                 for lib in self.toolbox.get_macro_views(self.config, DesignFormat.LIB)
             ]
         )
-        env["PNR_EXCLUDED_CELLS"] = TclUtils.join(
-            [
-                cell.strip()
-                for cell in open(self.config["PNR_EXCLUSION_CELL_LIST"]).read().split()
-                if cell.strip() != ""
-            ]
-        )
 
         python_path_elements = site.getsitepackages()
         if current_pythonpath := env.get("PYTHONPATH"):