diff --git a/sha1_file.c b/sha1_file.c
index 1577e2d7dd4f38462b7b33c02b888eed3f4ca2c6..59a4ed2ed32336b41ab8f3b1d4aca30f045aa084 100644
--- a/sha1_file.c
+++ b/sha1_file.c
@@ -3972,7 +3972,6 @@ int read_loose_object(const char *path,
 		      void **contents)
 {
 	int ret = -1;
-	int fd = -1;
 	void *map = NULL;
 	unsigned long mapsize;
 	git_zstream stream;
@@ -4022,7 +4021,5 @@ int read_loose_object(const char *path,
 out:
 	if (map)
 		munmap(map, mapsize);
-	if (fd >= 0)
-		close(fd);
 	return ret;
 }