diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb
index 56b38b57f496d573a4dd7309e5be67c8fb2466e4..853ec703921d52459960feeb2851bc965a128b98 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb
@@ -235,13 +235,8 @@ def link_to(*args, &block)
           html_options = convert_options_to_data_attributes(options, html_options)
           url = url_for(options)
 
-          if html_options
-            html_options = html_options.stringify_keys
-            href = html_options['href']
-            tag_options = tag_options(html_options)
-          else
-            tag_options = nil
-          end
+          href = html_options['href']
+          tag_options = tag_options(html_options)
 
           href_attr = "href=\"#{html_escape(url)}\"" unless href
           "<a #{href_attr}#{tag_options}>#{html_escape(name || url)}</a>".html_safe