diff --git a/crypto/bn/bn_lib.c b/crypto/bn/bn_lib.c
index 5bb996e5bc87fc6b8996f35d6ea9f5e0120ab7f0..6e1b902d87d53f10109c3e00d2704c7e8838cafd 100644
--- a/crypto/bn/bn_lib.c
+++ b/crypto/bn/bn_lib.c
@@ -209,8 +209,6 @@ static BN_ULONG *bn_expand_internal(const BIGNUM *b, int words)
 {
     BN_ULONG *a = NULL;
 
-    bn_check_top(b);
-
     if (words > (INT_MAX / (4 * BN_BITS2))) {
         BNerr(BN_F_BN_EXPAND_INTERNAL, BN_R_BIGNUM_TOO_LONG);
         return NULL;
@@ -245,8 +243,6 @@ static BN_ULONG *bn_expand_internal(const BIGNUM *b, int words)
 
 BIGNUM *bn_expand2(BIGNUM *b, int words)
 {
-    bn_check_top(b);
-
     if (words > b->dmax) {
         BN_ULONG *a = bn_expand_internal(b, words);
         if (!a)
@@ -259,7 +255,6 @@ BIGNUM *bn_expand2(BIGNUM *b, int words)
         b->dmax = words;
     }
 
-    bn_check_top(b);
     return b;
 }