diff --git a/bin/cp/cp.c b/bin/cp/cp.c
index 86dbb3c04cfb..b83eeadc86ae 100644
--- a/bin/cp/cp.c
+++ b/bin/cp/cp.c
@@ -98,30 +98,28 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct stat to_stat, tmp_stat;
 	enum op type;
-	int Hflag, Lflag, Pflag, ch, fts_options, r, have_trailing_slash;
+	int Hflag, Lflag, ch, fts_options, r, have_trailing_slash;
 	char *target;
 
 	fts_options = FTS_NOCHDIR | FTS_PHYSICAL;
-	Hflag = Lflag = Pflag = 0;
+	Hflag = Lflag = 0;
 	while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "HLPRafilnprvx")) != -1)
 		switch (ch) {
 		case 'H':
 			Hflag = 1;
-			Lflag = Pflag = 0;
+			Lflag = 0;
 			break;
 		case 'L':
 			Lflag = 1;
-			Hflag = Pflag = 0;
+			Hflag = 0;
 			break;
 		case 'P':
-			Pflag = 1;
 			Hflag = Lflag = 0;
 			break;
 		case 'R':
 			Rflag = 1;
 			break;
 		case 'a':
-			Pflag = 1;
 			pflag = 1;
 			Rflag = 1;
 			Hflag = Lflag = 0;
@@ -146,7 +144,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			break;
 		case 'r':
 			rflag = Lflag = 1;
-			Hflag = Pflag = 0;
+			Hflag = 0;
 			break;
 		case 'v':
 			vflag = 1;