diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e58e58959a..0f1ba695ec 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
     "js-base64": "^2.1.9",
     "nightwatch": "^0.9.3",
     "semistandard": "^7.0.0",
-    "semver": "^5.3.0",
     "solc": "https://github.com/ethereum/solc-js",
     "tape": "^4.5.1",
     "web3": "https://github.com/ethereum/web3.js#35bcace7173fda742ddb1bba84c8a70f0fa849e0",
diff --git a/src/app.js b/src/app.js
index 7c2ff2261a..32fb109535 100644
--- a/src/app.js
+++ b/src/app.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var $ = require('jquery');
-var semver = require('semver');
 var base64 = require('js-base64').Base64;
 
 var utils = require('./app/utils');
@@ -555,22 +554,8 @@ var run = function () {
   });
 
   $.getJSON('https://ethereum.github.io/solc-bin/bin/list.json').done(function (data) {
-    function buildVersion (build) {
-      if (build.prerelease && build.prerelease.length > 0) {
-        return build.version + '-' + build.prerelease;
-      } else {
-        return build.version;
-      }
-    }
-
-    // Sort builds according to semver
-    var builds = data.builds.sort(function (a, b) {
-      // NOTE: b vs. a (the order is important), because we want latest first in the list
-      return semver.compare(buildVersion(b), buildVersion(a));
-    });
-
-    // populate version dropdown with all available compiler versions
-    $.each(builds, function (i, build) {
+    // populate version dropdown with all available compiler versions (descending order)
+    $.each(data.builds.slice().reverse(), function (i, build) {
       $('#versionSelector').append(new Option(buildVersion(build), build.path));
     });