diff --git a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
index afbbfa9107..c72f0ce2ec 100644
--- a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
+++ b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
@@ -300,7 +300,6 @@ bool Foam::sampledSurfaces::read(const dictionary& dict)
 
         // The surface writer and format options
         const word writerType(dict.get<word>("surfaceFormat"));
-        const dictionary& formatOptions = dict.subOrEmptyDict("formatOptions");
 
         // Define the surface formatter
         // Optionally defined extra controls for the output formats