diff --git a/sys/contrib/libnv/nvpair.c b/sys/contrib/libnv/nvpair.c
index d45ac34f59c5..5f09eb070b06 100644
--- a/sys/contrib/libnv/nvpair.c
+++ b/sys/contrib/libnv/nvpair.c
@@ -229,14 +229,6 @@ nvpair_remove_nvlist_array(nvpair_t *nvp)
 	nvlarray = __DECONST(nvlist_t **,
 	    nvpair_get_nvlist_array(nvp, &count));
 	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-		nvlist_t *nvl;
-		nvpair_t *nnvp;
-
-		nvl = nvlarray[i];
-		nnvp = nvlist_get_array_next_nvpair(nvl);
-		if (nnvp != NULL) {
-			nvpair_free_structure(nnvp);
-		}
 		nvlist_set_array_next(nvl, NULL);
 		nvlist_set_parent(nvl, NULL);
 	}