diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/svtav1/gstsvtav1enc.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/svtav1/gstsvtav1enc.c
index b0f85af9b9..14359eefa3 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/svtav1/gstsvtav1enc.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/svtav1/gstsvtav1enc.c
@@ -633,7 +633,6 @@ gst_svtav1enc_dequeue_encoded_frames (GstSvtAv1Enc * svtav1enc,
   gboolean encode_at_eos = FALSE;
 
   do {
-    GList *pending_frames = NULL;
     GstVideoCodecFrame *frame = NULL;
     EbBufferHeaderType *output_buf = NULL;
 
@@ -675,11 +674,6 @@ gst_svtav1enc_dequeue_encoded_frames (GstSvtAv1Enc * svtav1enc,
 
       ret = gst_video_encoder_finish_frame (GST_VIDEO_ENCODER (svtav1enc), frame);
 
-      if (pending_frames != NULL) {
-        g_list_free_full (pending_frames,
-            (GDestroyNotify) gst_video_codec_frame_unref);
-      }
-
       svtav1enc->frame_count++;
     }