diff --git a/changelog/5537.bugfix.rst b/changelog/5537.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0263e8cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/5537.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Replace ``importlib_metadata`` backport with ``importlib.metadata`` from the
+standard library on Python 3.8+.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 4c87c6429..e8bc8e895 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ INSTALL_REQUIRES = [
     'pathlib2>=2.2.0;python_version<"3.6"',
     'colorama;sys_platform=="win32"',
     "pluggy>=0.12,<1.0",
-    "importlib-metadata>=0.12",
+    'importlib-metadata>=0.12;python_version<"3.8"',
     "wcwidth",
 ]
 
diff --git a/src/_pytest/compat.py b/src/_pytest/compat.py
index d238061b4..a83932c88 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/compat.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/compat.py
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ MODULE_NOT_FOUND_ERROR = (
 )
 
 
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 8):
+    from importlib import metadata as importlib_metadata  # noqa
+else:
+    import importlib_metadata  # noqa
+
+
 def _format_args(func):
     return str(signature(func))
 
diff --git a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
index c1bd2e7eb..c9310bcb5 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import types
 import warnings
 from functools import lru_cache
 
-import importlib_metadata
 import py
 from packaging.version import Version
 from pluggy import HookimplMarker
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@ from .findpaths import determine_setup
 from .findpaths import exists
 from _pytest._code import ExceptionInfo
 from _pytest._code import filter_traceback
+from _pytest.compat import importlib_metadata
 from _pytest.outcomes import fail
 from _pytest.outcomes import Skipped
 from _pytest.warning_types import PytestConfigWarning
diff --git a/testing/acceptance_test.py b/testing/acceptance_test.py
index d2a348f40..41de690bc 100644
--- a/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ import textwrap
 import types
 
 import attr
-import importlib_metadata
 import py
 
 import pytest
+from _pytest.compat import importlib_metadata
 from _pytest.main import ExitCode
 from _pytest.warnings import SHOW_PYTEST_WARNINGS_ARG
 
diff --git a/testing/test_assertion.py b/testing/test_assertion.py
index f58d240a5..8079c45a0 100644
--- a/testing/test_assertion.py
+++ b/testing/test_assertion.py
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ class TestImportHookInstallation:
                 return check
             """,
             "mainwrapper.py": """\
-            import pytest, importlib_metadata
+            import pytest
+            from _pytest.compat import importlib_metadata
 
             class DummyEntryPoint(object):
                 name = 'spam'
diff --git a/testing/test_config.py b/testing/test_config.py
index ff993e401..eb7f95271 100644
--- a/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/testing/test_config.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 import sys
 import textwrap
 
-import importlib_metadata
-
 import _pytest._code
 import pytest
+from _pytest.compat import importlib_metadata
 from _pytest.config import _iter_rewritable_modules
 from _pytest.config.exceptions import UsageError
 from _pytest.config.findpaths import determine_setup
diff --git a/testing/test_entry_points.py b/testing/test_entry_points.py
index 9812ce998..5d0031273 100644
--- a/testing/test_entry_points.py
+++ b/testing/test_entry_points.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import importlib_metadata
+from _pytest.compat import importlib_metadata
 
 
 def test_pytest_entry_points_are_identical():