diff --git a/encfs/Context.cpp b/encfs/Context.cpp
index 0a6bcd5..4cdcd36 100644
--- a/encfs/Context.cpp
+++ b/encfs/Context.cpp
@@ -129,11 +129,7 @@ void EncFS_Context::eraseNode(const char *path, FileNode *pl) {
 
   // if no more references to this file, remove the record all together
   if (it->second.empty()) {
-    // attempts to make use of shallow copy to clear memory used to hold
-    // unencrypted filenames.. not sure this does any good..
-    std::string storedName = it->first;
     openFiles.erase(it);
-    storedName.assign(storedName.length(), '\0');
   }
 }