diff --git a/src/common/outbound.c b/src/common/outbound.c
index 0b37caf5..8e412186 100644
--- a/src/common/outbound.c
+++ b/src/common/outbound.c
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ random_line (char *file_name)
 	}
 	while (lines > ran);
 	fclose (fh);
-	buf[strlen (buf) - 1] = 0;	  /* remove the trailing '\n' */
 	return strdup (buf);
 }