diff --git a/sound/arm/pxa2xx-ac97.c b/sound/arm/pxa2xx-ac97.c
index 6322e6392594..a67e6685b00c 100644
--- a/sound/arm/pxa2xx-ac97.c
+++ b/sound/arm/pxa2xx-ac97.c
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@ static unsigned short pxa2xx_ac97_legacy_read(struct snd_ac97 *ac97,
 static void pxa2xx_ac97_legacy_write(struct snd_ac97 *ac97,
 				     unsigned short reg, unsigned short val)
 {
-	int __always_unused ret;
-
-	ret = pxa2xx_ac97_write(ac97->num, reg, val);
+	pxa2xx_ac97_write(ac97->num, reg, val);
 }
 
 static const struct snd_ac97_bus_ops pxa2xx_ac97_ops = {