diff --git a/noice.c b/noice.c
index ff11b2f2..7a6d6751 100644
--- a/noice.c
+++ b/noice.c
@@ -118,20 +118,6 @@ xrealpath(const char *path)
 	return p;
 }
 
-char *
-xdirname(const char *path)
-{
-	char *p, *tmp;
-
-	/* Some implementations of dirname(3) may modify `path' */
-	tmp = xstrdup(path);
-	p = dirname(tmp);
-	free(tmp);
-	if (p == NULL)
-		printerr(1, "dirname");
-	return p;
-}
-
 void
 spawn(const char *file, const char *arg)
 {
@@ -546,7 +532,7 @@ nochange:
 			if (strcmp(path, "/") == 0) {
 				goto nochange;
 			} else {
-				dir = xdirname(path);
+				dir = dirname(path);
 				tmp = xmalloc(strlen(dir) + 1);
 				strlcpy(tmp, dir, strlen(dir) + 1);
 				free(path);