diff --git a/mercurial/repair.py b/mercurial/repair.py
index eb84b4ad41e5eb4141248752089e17545336a941_bWVyY3VyaWFsL3JlcGFpci5weQ==..e413609659cf26fa2cd544a9258dbde463234c3a_bWVyY3VyaWFsL3JlcGFpci5weQ== 100644
--- a/mercurial/repair.py
+++ b/mercurial/repair.py
@@ -168,9 +168,7 @@
 
     mfst = repo.manifestlog._revlog
 
-    curtr = repo.currenttransaction()
-    if curtr is not None:
-        del curtr  # avoid carrying reference to transaction for nothing
+    if repo.currenttransaction() is not None:
         raise error.ProgrammingError('cannot strip from inside a transaction')
 
     try: