diff --git a/libguile/ports.c b/libguile/ports.c
index c81bf9a97..69afb4e9a 100644
--- a/libguile/ports.c
+++ b/libguile/ports.c
@@ -2370,13 +2370,6 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_port_clear_stream_start_for_bom_read,
   SCM_VALIDATE_PORT (1, port);
 
   pti = SCM_PORT_GET_INTERNAL (port);
-  if (!pti->at_stream_start_for_bom_read)
-    return SCM_BOOL_F;
-
-  /* Maybe slurp off a byte-order marker.  */
-  pt = SCM_PTAB_ENTRY (port);
-  pti->at_stream_start_for_bom_read = 0;
-
   if (!pti->at_stream_start_for_bom_read)
     return SCM_BOOL_F;