diff --git a/rzip.c b/rzip.c
index 872f243..a8098ce 100644
--- a/rzip.c
+++ b/rzip.c
@@ -266,8 +266,6 @@ static void put_literal(rzip_control *control, struct rzip_state *st, i64 last,
 {
 	do {
 		i64 len = p - last;
-		i64 le_last;
-
 		if (len > 0xFFFF)
 			len = 0xFFFF;
 
@@ -276,8 +274,7 @@ static void put_literal(rzip_control *control, struct rzip_state *st, i64 last,
 
 		put_header(control, st->ss, 0, len);
 
-		le_last = htole64(last);
-		if (unlikely(len && write_sbstream(control, st->ss, 1, le_last, len)))
+		if (unlikely(len && write_sbstream(control, st->ss, 1, last, len)))
 			fatal("Failed to write_stream in put_literal\n");
 		last += len;
 	} while (p > last);