diff --git a/tools/virsh.c b/tools/virsh.c
index 5bcf0ede9a..a1ad637f61 100644
--- a/tools/virsh.c
+++ b/tools/virsh.c
@@ -8081,9 +8081,6 @@ cmdEdit (vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
     doc_edited = editReadBackFile (ctl, tmp);
     if (!doc_edited) goto cleanup;
 
-    unlink (tmp);
-    tmp = NULL;
-
     /* Compare original XML with edited.  Has it changed at all? */
     if (STREQ (doc, doc_edited)) {
         vshPrint (ctl, _("Domain %s XML configuration not changed.\n"),