diff --git a/libc/stdio/local.h b/libc/stdio/local.h
index 575a428..d8b1a57 100644
--- a/libc/stdio/local.h
+++ b/libc/stdio/local.h
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@
 #define __SALC 0x4000  // Allocate string space dynamically.
 #define __SIGN 0x8000  // Ignore this file in _fwalk.
 
-// TODO: remove remaining references to these obsolete flags.
+// TODO: remove remaining references to these obsolete flags (see above).
 #define __SNPT 0
 #define __SOPT 0
 
@@ -224,15 +224,6 @@
 	_UB(fp)._base = NULL; \
 }
 
-/*
- * test for an fgetln() buffer.
- */
-#define	HASLB(fp) ((fp)->_lb._base != NULL)
-#define	FREELB(fp) { \
-	free((char *)(fp)->_lb._base); \
-	(fp)->_lb._base = NULL; \
-}
-
 #define FLOCKFILE(fp)   if (!_EXT(fp)->_caller_handles_locking) flockfile(fp)
 #define FUNLOCKFILE(fp) if (!_EXT(fp)->_caller_handles_locking) funlockfile(fp)
 
diff --git a/libc/stdio/stdio.cpp b/libc/stdio/stdio.cpp
index b0f5c60..cd4be2e 100644
--- a/libc/stdio/stdio.cpp
+++ b/libc/stdio/stdio.cpp
@@ -132,6 +132,13 @@
   return g;
 }
 
+static inline void free_fgetln_buffer(FILE* fp) {
+  if (__predict_false(fp->_lb._base != nullptr)) {
+    free(fp->_lb._base);
+    fp->_lb._base = nullptr;
+  }
+}
+
 /*
  * Find a free FILE for fopen et al.
  */
@@ -326,7 +333,7 @@
   if (HASUB(fp)) FREEUB(fp);
   _UB(fp)._size = 0;
   WCIO_FREE(fp);
-  if (HASLB(fp)) FREELB(fp);
+  free_fgetln_buffer(fp);
   fp->_lb._size = 0;
 
   if (fd < 0) { // Did not get it after all.
@@ -386,7 +393,7 @@
   }
   if (fp->_flags & __SMBF) free(fp->_bf._base);
   if (HASUB(fp)) FREEUB(fp);
-  if (HASLB(fp)) FREELB(fp);
+  free_fgetln_buffer(fp);
 
   // Poison this FILE so accesses after fclose will be obvious.
   fp->_file = -1;