diff --git a/Lib/binhex.py b/Lib/binhex.py
index 9735f2eda3aa..16985fb16694 100644
--- a/Lib/binhex.py
+++ b/Lib/binhex.py
@@ -197,7 +197,6 @@ def __init__(self, (name, finfo, dlen, rlen), ofp):
         self.state = _DID_HEADER
 
     def _writeinfo(self, name, finfo):
-        name = name
         nl = len(name)
         if nl > 63:
             raise Error, 'Filename too long'