diff --git a/racket/src/start/ustart.c b/racket/src/start/ustart.c
index 624f45af7a..2710de2c82 100644
--- a/racket/src/start/ustart.c
+++ b/racket/src/start/ustart.c
@@ -430,7 +430,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
       buf[len] = 0;
       buf = absolutize(buf, me);
       me = buf;
-      buf = (char *)malloc(bufsize + 1);
     }
   }