diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index cc3c7410f3..181668dedd 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -581,7 +581,6 @@ static int migrate_file(struct remote *remote)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int i;
-	const char *path = NULL;
 
 	strbuf_addf(&buf, "remote.%s.url", remote->name);
 	for (i = 0; i < remote->url_nr; i++)
@@ -601,11 +600,9 @@ static int migrate_file(struct remote *remote)
 			return error(_("Could not append '%s' to '%s'"),
 					remote->fetch_refspec[i], buf.buf);
 	if (remote->origin == REMOTE_REMOTES)
-		path = git_path("remotes/%s", remote->name);
+		unlink_or_warn(git_path("remotes/%s", remote->name));
 	else if (remote->origin == REMOTE_BRANCHES)
-		path = git_path("branches/%s", remote->name);
-	if (path)
-		unlink_or_warn(path);
+		unlink_or_warn(git_path("branches/%s", remote->name));
 	return 0;
 }