diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 30136d9cadf236810e3ca8f08e24e69a60dcd36b..f53e4225a2518663fa1164478a4b4b2550e98a8d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -629,7 +629,6 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST(HTOOLS_APIDOC)
 
 # Check for hlint
-HLINT=no
 AC_ARG_VAR(HLINT, [hlint path])
 AC_PATH_PROG(HLINT, [hlint], [])
 if test -z "$HLINT"; then