diff --git a/src/link/C.zig b/src/link/C.zig
index 636436eebb74c4240254e76de545a88fafab1044..62051be03ca28c82206389e19633857117058c00 100644
--- a/src/link/C.zig
+++ b/src/link/C.zig
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ pub fn createEmpty(
     const use_lld = build_options.have_llvm and comp.config.use_lld;
     const use_llvm = comp.config.use_llvm;
     const output_mode = comp.config.output_mode;
-    const link_mode = comp.config.link_mode;
 
     // These are caught by `Compilation.Config.resolve`.
     assert(!use_lld);
@@ -123,7 +122,6 @@ pub fn createEmpty(
     const file = try emit.directory.handle.createFile(emit.sub_path, .{
         // Truncation is done on `flush`.
         .truncate = false,
-        .mode = link.File.determineMode(use_lld, output_mode, link_mode),
     });
     errdefer file.close();