diff --git a/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-session.c b/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-session.c
index 2fdf3ff7f..0153ab851 100644
--- a/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-session.c
+++ b/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-session.c
@@ -399,11 +399,6 @@ lws_tls_session_dump_load(struct lws_vhost *vh, const char *host, uint16_t port,
 		goto bail;
 	}
 
-#if defined(LWS_HAVE_SSL_SESSION_up_ref)
-	SSL_SESSION_up_ref(sess);
-#else
-	lwsl_err("%s: openssl is too old\n", __func__);
-#endif
 	lwsl_tlssess("%s: session loaded OK\n", __func__);
 
 	lws_vhost_unlock(vh); /* } vh --------------  */