diff --git a/lib/m2/mes_open.c b/lib/m2/mes_open.c
index a0e06998..d2b1c1ca 100644
--- a/lib/m2/mes_open.c
+++ b/lib/m2/mes_open.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 int
 mes_open (char *file_name, int flags, int mask)
 {
-  __ungetc_init ();
   int filedes = open (file_name, flags, mask);
   if (filedes > 2)
     __ungetc_clear (filedes);
diff --git a/lib/m2/open.c b/lib/m2/open.c
index a240f1a4..3d3fe4dc 100644
--- a/lib/m2/open.c
+++ b/lib/m2/open.c
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ int
 open (char *file_name, int flags, int mask)
 {
   int r = _sys_call3 (SYS_open, file_name, flags, mask);
-  __ungetc_init ();
   if (r > 2)
     __ungetc_clear (r);
   return r;