diff --git a/src/label_map.cpp b/src/label_map.cpp
index 04f9cfe206..149007d3bb 100644
--- a/src/label_map.cpp
+++ b/src/label_map.cpp
@@ -109,14 +109,9 @@ void LabelMap::modify_lmap(int narg, char **arg)
     if (search(slabel,(*labels_map)) != -1)
       error->all(FLERR,"Type label already exists: types labels must be unique");
     std::string &str = (*labels)[itype-1];
-    if (str.empty()) {
-      str = slabel;
-      (*labels_map)[slabel] = itype;
-    } else {
-      (*labels_map).erase(str);
-      str = slabel;
-      (*labels_map)[slabel] = itype;
-    }
+    if (!str.empty()) (*labels_map).erase(str);
+    str = slabel;
+    (*labels_map)[slabel] = itype;
   }
 }