diff --git a/infback.c b/infback.c
index 5462952619931d5b1e6f7e94bbcaf3cd5684bfd4..c0264854399cab24847f80b045d8ec68a21262fb 100644
--- a/infback.c
+++ b/infback.c
@@ -403,7 +403,6 @@ void FAR *out_desc;
                     PULLBYTE();
                 }
                 if (here.val < 16) {
-                    NEEDBITS(here.bits);
                     DROPBITS(here.bits);
                     state->lens[state->have++] = here.val;
                 }
diff --git a/inflate.c b/inflate.c
index 214bf26bc16d398ebecf3ffa094e8aff1ee18ba8..6b0ebbfbcd9434b447d970a989b7c599a553ca68 100644
--- a/inflate.c
+++ b/inflate.c
@@ -944,7 +944,6 @@ int flush;
                     PULLBYTE();
                 }
                 if (here.val < 16) {
-                    NEEDBITS(here.bits);
                     DROPBITS(here.bits);
                     state->lens[state->have++] = here.val;
                 }