diff --git a/lib/events.js b/lib/events.js
index da2dc599cac..e7202bfedd0 100644
--- a/lib/events.js
+++ b/lib/events.js
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ EventEmitter.prototype.removeListener =
       if (!list)
         return this;
 
-      if (list === listener || (list.listener && list.listener === listener)) {
+      if (list === listener || list.listener === listener) {
         if (--this._eventsCount === 0)
           this._events = new EventHandlers();
         else {
@@ -339,8 +339,7 @@ EventEmitter.prototype.removeListener =
         position = -1;
 
         for (i = list.length; i-- > 0;) {
-          if (list[i] === listener ||
-              (list[i].listener && list[i].listener === listener)) {
+          if (list[i] === listener || list[i].listener === listener) {
             originalListener = list[i].listener;
             position = i;
             break;