diff --git a/diffcore-break.c b/diffcore-break.c
index b5bcc956cc..71d0e48beb 100644
--- a/diffcore-break.c
+++ b/diffcore-break.c
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
  * Copyright (C) 2005 Junio C Hamano
  */
 
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
-
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
 #include "diffcore.h"
 #include "hash.h"