diff --git a/news/9193.removal.rst b/news/9193.removal.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5957a55836f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/9193.removal.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+The --build-dir option has been restored as a no-op, to soften the transition
+for tools that still used it.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py b/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py
index c1522d6391b..7f05efb85db 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py
@@ -199,6 +199,20 @@ def _main(self, args):
                 )
                 options.cache_dir = None
 
+        if getattr(options, "build_dir", None):
+            deprecated(
+                reason=(
+                    "The -b/--build/--build-dir/--build-directory "
+                    "option is deprecated and has no effect anymore."
+                ),
+                replacement=(
+                    "use the TMPDIR/TEMP/TMP environment variable, "
+                    "possibly combined with --no-clean"
+                ),
+                gone_in="21.1",
+                issue=8333,
+            )
+
         if '2020-resolver' in options.features_enabled and not PY2:
             logger.warning(
                 "--use-feature=2020-resolver no longer has any effect, "
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py b/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py
index 07d612a6f54..3543ed48bb3 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py
@@ -695,6 +695,14 @@ def _handle_no_cache_dir(option, opt, value, parser):
     help="Don't install package dependencies.",
 )  # type: Callable[..., Option]
 
+build_dir = partial(
+    PipOption,
+    '-b', '--build', '--build-dir', '--build-directory',
+    dest='build_dir',
+    type='path',
+    metavar='dir',
+    help=SUPPRESS_HELP,
+)  # type: Callable[..., Option]
 
 ignore_requires_python = partial(
     Option,
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py b/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py
index a2d3bf7d9b6..7405870aefc 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ def add_options(self):
         # type: () -> None
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.constraints())
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.requirements())
+        self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.build_dir())
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.no_deps())
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.global_options())
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.no_binary())
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py b/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py
index 38f9f063dea..a4e10f260a2 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ def add_options(self):
             help="Installation prefix where lib, bin and other top-level "
                  "folders are placed")
 
+        self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.build_dir())
+
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.src())
 
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py b/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py
index 2d654338d7a..39fd2bf8128 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ def add_options(self):
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.src())
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.ignore_requires_python())
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.no_deps())
+        self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.build_dir())
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(cmdoptions.progress_bar())
 
         self.cmd_opts.add_option(