diff --git a/libs/pbd/system_exec.cc b/libs/pbd/system_exec.cc
index 56eba6959e..e97bcce922 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/system_exec.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/system_exec.cc
@@ -926,10 +926,6 @@ SystemExec::start (StdErrMode stderr_mode, const char *vfork_exec_wrapper)
 #else
 	signal (SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
 #endif
-	if (!vfork_exec_wrapper) {
-		error << _("Cannot start external process, no vfork wrapper") << endmsg;
-		return -1;
-	}
 
 	int good_fds[2] = { pok[1],  -1 };
 	close_allv(good_fds);