diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index d71c0ec3..164eead2 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -49,17 +49,6 @@ AC_FUNC_SETVBUF_REVERSED
 AC_FUNC_GETLOADAVG
 AC_FUNC_STRCOLL
 
-if test $ac_cv_func_getdtablesize = no; then
-  AC_MSG_CHECKING(for sysconf (_SC_OPEN_MAX))
-  AC_CACHE_VAL(make_cv_sysconf_open_max, [dnl
-  AC_TRY_LINK([#include <unistd.h>], [int max = sysconf (_SC_OPEN_MAX);],
-	      [make_cv_sysconf_open_max=yes], [make_cv_sysconf_open_max=no])])
-  if test $make_cv_sysconf_open_max = yes; then
-    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_SYSCONF_OPEN_MAX)
-  fi
-  AC_MSG_RESULT($make_cv_sysconf_open_max)
-fi
-
 # Check out the wait reality.
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS(sys/wait.h) AC_CHECK_FUNCS(waitpid wait3)
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for union wait)