diff --git a/src/util/virfile.c b/src/util/virfile.c
index cb6cfc0fe7..fca7ff9d35 100644
--- a/src/util/virfile.c
+++ b/src/util/virfile.c
@@ -543,8 +543,7 @@ virFileRewrite(const char *path,
 
  cleanup:
     VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
-    if (newfile)
-        unlink(newfile);
+    unlink(newfile);
     return ret;
 }