diff --git a/libraries/libldap/delete.c b/libraries/libldap/delete.c
index bc260b205e..71070d2394 100644
--- a/libraries/libldap/delete.c
+++ b/libraries/libldap/delete.c
@@ -69,8 +69,7 @@ ldap_delete_ext(
 	}
 
 	/* close '{' */
-	if ( ber_printf( ber, "}", ++ld->ld_msgid, LDAP_REQ_DELETE, dn )
-	    == -1 ) {
+	if ( ber_printf( ber, "}" ) == -1 ) {
 		ld->ld_errno = LDAP_ENCODING_ERROR;
 		ber_free( ber, 1 );
 		return( ld->ld_errno );