diff --git a/xmlregexp.c b/xmlregexp.c
index 8e63d74a..3e912ab9 100644
--- a/xmlregexp.c
+++ b/xmlregexp.c
@@ -5709,8 +5709,6 @@ xmlAutomataNewTransition(xmlAutomataPtr am, xmlAutomataStatePtr from,
     if (atom == NULL)
         return(NULL);
     atom->data = data;
-    if (atom == NULL)
-	return(NULL);
     atom->valuep = xmlStrdup(token);
 
     if (xmlFAGenerateTransitions(am, from, to, atom) < 0) {