diff --git a/strbuf.c b/strbuf.c
index 9ff1b597c99..3ad2cc00160 100644
--- a/strbuf.c
+++ b/strbuf.c
@@ -357,7 +357,6 @@ int strbuf_getwholeline(struct strbuf *sb, FILE *fp, int term)
 {
 	int ch;
 
-	strbuf_grow(sb, 0);
 	if (feof(fp))
 		return EOF;