diff --git a/utf8.c b/utf8.c
index b07d43e580..dc3735364f 100644
--- a/utf8.c
+++ b/utf8.c
@@ -388,11 +388,4 @@ char *reencode_string(const char *in, const char *out_encoding, const char *in_e
 	iconv_close(conv);
 	return out;
 }
-#else
-char *reencode_string(const char *in, const char *out_encoding, const char *in_encoding)
-{
-	if (!in_encoding)
-		return NULL;
-	return xstrdup(in);
-}
 #endif
diff --git a/utf8.h b/utf8.h
index f22ef3133c..98cce1b038 100644
--- a/utf8.h
+++ b/utf8.h
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ int is_encoding_utf8(const char *name);
 
 int print_wrapped_text(const char *text, int indent, int indent2, int len);
 
+#ifndef NO_ICONV
 char *reencode_string(const char *in, const char *out_encoding, const char *in_encoding);
+#else
+#define reencode_string(a,b,c) NULL
+#endif
 
 #endif