diff --git a/bin/common_aoutput.cc b/bin/common_aoutput.cc
index 862cc70b5..78f747a82 100644
--- a/bin/common_aoutput.cc
+++ b/bin/common_aoutput.cc
@@ -625,7 +625,6 @@ void printable_automaton::print(std::ostream& os, const char* pos) const
       auto end = strchr(pos, ']');
       options = std::string(pos, end - pos);
       options += 'l';
-      pos = end + 1;
     }
   print_hoa(os, val_, options.c_str());
 }