diff --git a/src/video/Xext/Xxf86vm/XF86VMode.c b/src/video/Xext/Xxf86vm/XF86VMode.c
index ccb32d811..8fa2583ae 100644
--- a/src/video/Xext/Xxf86vm/XF86VMode.c
+++ b/src/video/Xext/Xxf86vm/XF86VMode.c
@@ -210,13 +210,6 @@ SDL_NAME(XF86VidModeGetGamma) (Display * dpy, int screen,
     return True;
 }
 
-/* this is to prevent an unaligned memory write on CPUs that need that. */
-static void
-zap_ptr(char *ptr, size_t size)
-{
-    memset(ptr, '\0', size);
-}
-
 Bool SDL_NAME(XF86VidModeGetModeLine) (dpy, screen, dotclock, modeline)
      Display *
          dpy;
@@ -292,7 +285,7 @@ SDL_NAME(XF86VidModeModeLine) * modeline;
         _XRead(dpy, (char *) modeline->private,
                modeline->privsize * sizeof(INT32));
     } else {
-        zap_ptr((char *) &modeline->private, sizeof(modeline->private));
+        modeline->private = NULL;
     }
     UnlockDisplay(dpy);
     SyncHandle();