diff --git a/tools/lib/subcmd/subcmd-util.h b/tools/lib/subcmd/subcmd-util.h
index 794a375dad360..b2aec04fce8f6 100644
--- a/tools/lib/subcmd/subcmd-util.h
+++ b/tools/lib/subcmd/subcmd-util.h
@@ -50,15 +50,8 @@ static NORETURN inline void die(const char *err, ...)
 static inline void *xrealloc(void *ptr, size_t size)
 {
 	void *ret = realloc(ptr, size);
-	if (!ret && !size)
-		ret = realloc(ptr, 1);
-	if (!ret) {
-		ret = realloc(ptr, size);
-		if (!ret && !size)
-			ret = realloc(ptr, 1);
-		if (!ret)
-			die("Out of memory, realloc failed");
-	}
+	if (!ret)
+		die("Out of memory, realloc failed");
 	return ret;
 }