diff --git a/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main.h b/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main.h
index 08f62e1e2748..b65ed6e6b819 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main.h
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ static u32 pseudo_palette[17];
 
 
 /* display status */
-static int XGIfb_off;
 static int XGIfb_crt1off;
 static int XGIfb_forcecrt1 = -1;
 static int XGIfb_userom ;
diff --git a/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main_26.c b/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main_26.c
index ceb0883ebf05..442774508d2a 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main_26.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/xgifb/XGI_main_26.c
@@ -1960,8 +1960,6 @@ static int __init XGIfb_setup(char *options)
 		} else if (!strncmp(this_opt, "rate:", 5)) {
 			xgi_video_info.refresh_rate = simple_strtoul(
 						this_opt + 5, NULL, 0);
-		} else if (!strncmp(this_opt, "off", 3)) {
-			XGIfb_off = 1;
 		} else if (!strncmp(this_opt, "crt1off", 7)) {
 			XGIfb_crt1off = 1;
 		} else if (!strncmp(this_opt, "filter:", 7)) {
@@ -2023,9 +2021,6 @@ static int __devinit xgifb_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	u8 CR48, CR38;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (XGIfb_off)
-		return -ENXIO;
-
 	memset(&XGIhw_ext, 0, sizeof(struct xgi_hw_device_info));
 	fb_info = framebuffer_alloc(sizeof(struct fb_info), &pdev->dev);
 	if (!fb_info)