diff --git a/programs/winhlp32/hlpfile.c b/programs/winhlp32/hlpfile.c
index 5146c38ec41..cf7bcdca36a 100644
--- a/programs/winhlp32/hlpfile.c
+++ b/programs/winhlp32/hlpfile.c
@@ -2646,7 +2646,6 @@ static BOOL HLPFILE_DoReadHlpFile(HLPFILE *hlpfile, LPCSTR lpszPath)
     if (!HLPFILE_Uncompress_Topic(hlpfile)) return FALSE;
     if (!HLPFILE_ReadFont(hlpfile)) return FALSE;
 
-    buf = hlpfile->topic_map[0];
     old_index = -1;
     offs = 0;
     do