diff --git a/src/misc/string.c b/src/misc/string.c
index a3d1dfe12..b498308f2 100644
--- a/src/misc/string.c
+++ b/src/misc/string.c
@@ -107,22 +107,6 @@ char *tvprintf(const char *fmt, va_list args)
          * encoding error, which would lead to an infinte loop (until
          * memory was exhausted) with the old behavior */
 
-#ifdef __MINGW32__
-         /* mingw still shows the 'old behavior' */
-        if (nchars == -1) {     // compatibility to old implementations
-            size *= 2;
-        }
-        else if (size < nchars + 1) {
-            size = nchars + 1;
-        }
-        else {
-            break;
-        }
-        /* limit memory usage */
-        if (size > 100000) {
-            controlled_exit(-1);
-        }
-#else
         if (nchars < 0) {
             controlled_exit(-1);
         }
@@ -135,7 +119,7 @@ char *tvprintf(const char *fmt, va_list args)
          * that would have been written if the buffer were large enough
          * excluding the terminiating null. */
         size = nchars + 1; /* min required allocation size */
-#endif
+
         /* Allocate a larger buffer */
         if (p == buf) {
             p = TMALLOC(char, size);