diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/spawn.cc b/winsup/cygwin/spawn.cc
index a450ea443..f0ae73999 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/spawn.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/spawn.cc
@@ -215,8 +215,6 @@ handle (int fd, bool writing)
 static bool
 is_console_app (WCHAR *filename)
 {
-  if (filename == NULL)
-    return true; /* The command executed is command.com or cmd.exe. */
   HANDLE h;
   const int id_offset = 92;
   h = CreateFileW (filename, GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ,