diff --git a/pkgs/lib/options.nix b/pkgs/lib/options.nix
index edcbfaa48305..d975f904085f 100644
--- a/pkgs/lib/options.nix
+++ b/pkgs/lib/options.nix
@@ -251,12 +251,6 @@ rec {
   # the set generated with filterOptionSets.
   optionAttrSetToDocList = ignore: newOptionAttrSetToDocList;
   newOptionAttrSetToDocList = attrs:
-    let tryEval = v:
-      let res = builtins.tryEval v; in
-      if builtins ? tryEval then
-        if res.success then res.value else "<error>"
-      else v;
-    in
     let options = collect isOption attrs; in
       fold (opt: rest:
         let
@@ -268,8 +262,8 @@ rec {
             declarations = map (x: toString x.source) opt.declarations;
             definitions = map (x: toString x.source) opt.definitions;
           }
-          // optionalAttrs (opt ? example) { example = tryEval opt.example; }
-          // optionalAttrs (opt ? default) { default = tryEval opt.default; };
+          // optionalAttrs (opt ? example) { example = opt.example; }
+          // optionalAttrs (opt ? default) { default = opt.default; };
 
           subOptions =
             if opt ? options then