diff --git a/contrib/synthrepo.py b/contrib/synthrepo.py
index 5716d10e89e7c6d32647f7f627f8bb15adc736da_Y29udHJpYi9zeW50aHJlcG8ucHk=..054ec0212718628206d57bc0839b6962d8d426a8_Y29udHJpYi9zeW50aHJlcG8ucHk= 100644
--- a/contrib/synthrepo.py
+++ b/contrib/synthrepo.py
@@ -356,10 +356,7 @@
                              for __ in xrange(pick(linesinfilesadded))) + '\n'
             changes[path] = context.memfilectx(repo, path, data)
         def filectxfn(repo, memctx, path):
-            data = changes[path]
-            if data is None:
-                raise IOError
-            return data
+            return changes[path]
         if not changes:
             continue
         if revs: