diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BasePackBitmapIndex.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BasePackBitmapIndex.java
index c9bb167f0..74b46bcee 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BasePackBitmapIndex.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BasePackBitmapIndex.java
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ abstract class BasePackBitmapIndex extends PackBitmapIndex {
 				if (r instanceof EWAHCompressedBitmap) {
 					out = out.xor((EWAHCompressedBitmap) r);
 					out.trim();
-					bitmapContainer = out;
 					return out;
 				}
 				xb = (XorCompressedBitmap) r;