diff --git a/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c b/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
index 84484f4c..755e951f 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ static int
 verify_row(int type, int row)
 {
     struct castr *ca = ef_cadef(type);
-    void *row_ref = malloc(empfile[type].size);
+    void *row_ref;
     int i, j, k, n;
     struct castr *ca_sym;
     struct valstr val;