diff --git a/libraries/liblutil/tavl.c b/libraries/liblutil/tavl.c
index 70b4eda6f3..77069393ae 100644
--- a/libraries/liblutil/tavl.c
+++ b/libraries/liblutil/tavl.c
@@ -251,10 +251,9 @@ tavl_delete( Avlnode **root, void* data, AVL_CMP fcmp )
 			*root = q;
 		}
 		/* new parent of p points to p */
-		if ( depth > 2 ) {
-			r = pptr[depth-2];
+		if ( depth > 1 ) {
+			r = pptr[depth-1];
 			r->avl_link[1] = p;
-			pptr[depth-1] = p;
 		} else {
 			q->avl_link[0] = p;
 		}