diff --git a/src/lib/dns/cpp/gen-rdatacode.py.in b/src/lib/dns/cpp/gen-rdatacode.py.in
index 1091150668..dc23c4332e 100755
--- a/src/lib/dns/cpp/gen-rdatacode.py.in
+++ b/src/lib/dns/cpp/gen-rdatacode.py.in
@@ -36,7 +36,14 @@ class_definitions = ''
 classdir_mtime = 0
 rdatadef_mtime = 0
 rdatahdr_mtime = 0
-copyright_file = '@top_srcdir@' + os.sep + 'COPYING'
+heading_txt = '''///////////////
+///////////////
+///////////////   THIS FILE IS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED BY gen-rdatacode.py.
+///////////////   DO NOT EDIT!
+///////////////
+///////////////
+
+'''
 
 def import_classdef(class_txt, file):
     content = ''
@@ -115,23 +122,6 @@ class MessageRenderer;\n\n'''
     rdata_header.close()
     return content
 
-def import_copyright():
-    copyright_txt = ''
-    f = open(copyright_file, 'r')
-    for line in f.readlines():
-        copyright_txt += '// ' + line
-    f.close()
-    copyright_txt += '''
-///////////////
-///////////////
-///////////////   THIS FILE IS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED BY gen-rdatacode.py.
-///////////////   DO NOT EDIT!
-///////////////
-///////////////
-
-'''
-    return copyright_txt
-
 def import_definitions(classcode2txt, typecode2txt, typeandclass):
     global rdata_declarations
     global class_definitions
@@ -189,16 +179,16 @@ def need_generate(file, mtime):
         return False
     return True
 
-def generate_rdatadef(file, copyright_txt, basemtime):
+def generate_rdatadef(file, basemtime):
     if not need_generate(file, basemtime):
         print('skip generating ' + file);
         return
     rdata_deffile = open(file, 'w')
-    rdata_deffile.write(copyright_txt)
+    rdata_deffile.write(heading_txt)
     rdata_deffile.write(class_definitions)
     rdata_deffile.close()
 
-def generate_rdatahdr(file, copyright_txt, declarations, basemtime):
+def generate_rdatahdr(file, declarations, basemtime):
     if not need_generate(file, basemtime):
         print('skip generating ' + file);
         return
@@ -208,7 +198,7 @@ def generate_rdatahdr(file, copyright_txt, declarations, basemtime):
 // End:
 '''
     rdata_header = open(file, 'w')
-    rdata_header.write(copyright_txt)
+    rdata_header.write(heading_txt)
     rdata_header.write(declarations)
     rdata_header.close()
 
@@ -237,7 +227,7 @@ RR''' + cap_key + '''::''' + codetxt + '''()
 '''
     header_temp = open(placeholder, 'r')
     header_out = open(outputfile, 'w')
-    header_out.write(copyright_txt)
+    header_out.write(heading_txt)
     for line in header_temp.readlines():
         header_out.write(line)
         if re.match('\s+// BEGIN_WELL_KNOWN_' + upper_key + '_DECLARATIONS$', line):
@@ -280,7 +270,7 @@ def generate_rrparam(fileprefix, basemtime):
 
     rrparam_temp = open(placeholder, 'r')
     rrparam_out = open(outputfile, 'w')
-    rrparam_out.write(copyright_txt)
+    rrparam_out.write(heading_txt)
     for line in rrparam_temp.readlines():
         rrparam_out.write(line)
         if re.match('\s+// BEGIN_WELL_KNOWN_PARAMS', line):
@@ -290,12 +280,10 @@ def generate_rrparam(fileprefix, basemtime):
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     try:
-        copyright_txt = import_copyright()
         import_definitions(classcode2txt, typecode2txt, typeandclass)
-        generate_rdatadef('@srcdir@/rdataclass.cc', copyright_txt,
-                          rdatadef_mtime)
-        generate_rdatahdr('@srcdir@/rdataclass.h', copyright_txt,
-                          rdata_declarations, rdatahdr_mtime)
+        generate_rdatadef('@srcdir@/rdataclass.cc', rdatadef_mtime)
+        generate_rdatahdr('@srcdir@/rdataclass.h', rdata_declarations,
+                          rdatahdr_mtime)
         generate_typeclasscode('@srcdir@/rrtype',
                                max(rdatadef_mtime, rdatahdr_mtime),
                                typecode2txt, 'Type')