diff --git a/src/fs_xattr.cpp b/src/fs_xattr.cpp
index 8dc5b528..be583686 100644
--- a/src/fs_xattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fs_xattr.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ fs::xattr::get(const string &path_,
 {
   ssize_t rv;
 
-  rv = -ERANGE;
   val_->resize(64);
 
   while(true)