diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/io/ObjectInputStream.as b/src/as/com/threerings/io/ObjectInputStream.as
index 332597b19..1f83b056a 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/io/ObjectInputStream.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/io/ObjectInputStream.as
@@ -40,9 +40,6 @@ public class ObjectInputStream
 
     public function ObjectInputStream (source :IDataInput = null, clientProps :Object = null)
     {
-        if (source == null) {
-            source = new ByteArray();
-        }
         _source = source || new ByteArray();
         _cliProps = clientProps || {};
     }