diff --git a/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c b/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c
index 5af391aca..ce2eafa71 100644
--- a/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c
+++ b/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c
@@ -2091,20 +2091,6 @@ TEH_KS_handler_keys (struct TEH_RequestHandler *rh,
                             ? krd->response_compressed
                             : krd->response_uncompressed);
   TEH_KS_release (key_state);
-
-  /**
-   * Not the best style, but needed since the logic has this
-   * dual behaviour: some functions touch directly the global
-   * variable, some others want the key state passed in the
-   * arguments.
-   *
-   * NOTE, this NULL-ification is needed because otherwise
-   * the internal key state object gets left with refcnt == 0
-   * and a non-NULL global pointer to it.
-   */
-  if (internal_key_state == key_state)
-    internal_key_state = NULL;
-
   return ret;
 }