diff --git a/builtin/add.c b/builtin/add.c
index 4bd98b799e..b2a5c57f0a 100644
--- a/builtin/add.c
+++ b/builtin/add.c
@@ -375,7 +375,6 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	if (add_new_files) {
 		int baselen;
-		struct pathspec empty_pathspec;
 
 		/* Set up the default git porcelain excludes */
 		memset(&dir, 0, sizeof(dir));
@@ -384,7 +383,6 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			setup_standard_excludes(&dir);
 		}
 
-		memset(&empty_pathspec, 0, sizeof(empty_pathspec));
 		/* This picks up the paths that are not tracked */
 		baselen = fill_directory(&dir, &pathspec);
 		if (pathspec.nr)