diff --git a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
index 4f6168ec5079fc8f84f0bb4604878668101af2b4..389e1e42e7d9a0d650e31e80bc6173e3041f2f15 100644
--- a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
+++ b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
@@ -1053,7 +1053,6 @@ static int sysctl_follow_link(struct ctl_table_header **phead,
 	struct ctl_dir *dir;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = 0;
 	spin_lock(&sysctl_lock);
 	root = (*pentry)->data;
 	set = lookup_header_set(root);