diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index a08a085cc..fb8197b01 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -705,10 +705,7 @@ fetchid(SPICE_DSTRINGPTR t, const char *s, const char *s_end)
     spice_dstring_reinit(t);
 
     // facts: alfa(*s) == true && s < s_end
-    c = *s++;
-
     // facts: alfa(c) == true && s <= s_end
-    cadd(t, upcase(c));
 
     for (; s < s_end; ) {