diff --git a/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c b/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c
index 854388f37..b60dbfc0b 100644
--- a/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c
+++ b/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c
@@ -822,8 +822,6 @@ SDL_JoystickUpdate(void)
         if (joystick->ref_count <= 0) {
             SDL_JoystickClose(joystick);
         }
-
-        joystick = joysticknext;
     }
 
     /* this needs to happen AFTER walking the joystick list above, so that any