diff --git a/src/math/vector3.cpp b/src/math/vector3.cpp
index e9ca70d1f7..bf02b76663 100644
--- a/src/math/vector3.cpp
+++ b/src/math/vector3.cpp
@@ -151,13 +151,9 @@ namespace OpenBabel
    */
   vector3& vector3 :: normalize ()
   {
-#ifdef OB_OLD_MATH_CHECKS
-    if( CanBeNormalized() )
-      (*this) /= length();
-#else
-    (*this) /= length();
-#endif
-    return(*this);
+    if (CanBeNormalized())
+      *this /= length();
+    return *this;
   }
 
   OBAPI vector3 cross ( const vector3& v1, const vector3& v2 )