diff --git a/dlls/webservices/writer.c b/dlls/webservices/writer.c
index b7dab3a9300..75cf7b4e645 100644
--- a/dlls/webservices/writer.c
+++ b/dlls/webservices/writer.c
@@ -648,10 +648,8 @@ static HRESULT write_string( struct writer *writer, const BYTE *bytes, ULONG len
 
 static HRESULT write_dict_string( struct writer *writer, ULONG id )
 {
-    HRESULT hr;
     if (id > 0x7fffffff) return E_INVALIDARG;
-    if ((hr = write_int31( writer, id )) != S_OK) return hr;
-    return S_OK;
+    return write_int31( writer, id );
 }
 
 static enum record_type get_attr_text_record_type( const WS_XML_TEXT *text, BOOL use_dict )