diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubyString.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubyString.java
index 9968e37198f9..5a80ecda1c7d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubyString.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubyString.java
@@ -651,7 +651,6 @@ public static RubyString newEmptyString(Ruby runtime) {
     }
 
     private static final ByteList EMPTY_ASCII8BIT_BYTELIST = new ByteList(ByteList.NULL_ARRAY, ASCIIEncoding.INSTANCE);
-    private static final ByteList EMPTY_USASCII_BYTELIST = new ByteList(ByteList.NULL_ARRAY, USASCIIEncoding.INSTANCE);
 
     public static RubyString newAllocatedString(Ruby runtime, RubyClass metaClass) {
         RubyString empty = new RubyString(runtime, metaClass, EMPTY_ASCII8BIT_BYTELIST);
@@ -660,7 +659,7 @@ public static RubyString newAllocatedString(Ruby runtime, RubyClass metaClass) {
     }
 
     public static RubyString newEmptyString(Ruby runtime, RubyClass metaClass) {
-        RubyString empty = new RubyString(runtime, metaClass, EMPTY_USASCII_BYTELIST);
+        RubyString empty = new RubyString(runtime, metaClass, EMPTY_ASCII8BIT_BYTELIST);
         empty.shareLevel = SHARE_LEVEL_BYTELIST;
         return empty;
     }