diff --git a/readline.c b/readline.c
index 9c500f1fec..7834af0f6b 100644
--- a/readline.c
+++ b/readline.c
@@ -467,9 +467,6 @@ ReadLineState *readline_init(Monitor *mon,
 {
     ReadLineState *rs = qemu_mallocz(sizeof(*rs));
 
-    if (!rs)
-        return NULL;
-
     rs->hist_entry = -1;
     rs->mon = mon;
     rs->completion_finder = completion_finder;