diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index acc7130a0a87ce264f4491948c213c5eea3d41f8..b570d60a5866f3c650159745f5359bd20e631d5a 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -1013,9 +1013,6 @@ static void tty_serial_init(int fd, int speed,
            speed, parity, data_bits, stop_bits);
 #endif
     tcgetattr (fd, &tty);
-    if (!term_atexit_done) {
-        oldtty = tty;
-    }
 
 #define check_speed(val) if (speed <= val) { spd = B##val; break; }
     speed = speed * 10 / 11;
@@ -1187,11 +1184,6 @@ static int tty_serial_ioctl(CharDriverState *chr, int cmd, void *arg)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void tty_exit(void)
-{
-    tcsetattr(0, TCSANOW, &oldtty);
-}
-
 static void qemu_chr_close_tty(CharDriverState *chr)
 {
     FDCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
@@ -1226,8 +1218,6 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_tty(QemuOpts *opts)
     }
     chr->chr_ioctl = tty_serial_ioctl;
     chr->chr_close = qemu_chr_close_tty;
-    if (!term_atexit_done++)
-        atexit(tty_exit);
     return chr;
 }
 #else  /* ! __linux__ && ! __sun__ */