diff --git a/libraries/ktx/src/ktx/Writer.cpp b/libraries/ktx/src/ktx/Writer.cpp
index 0d3d4e1d60..4226b8fa84 100644
--- a/libraries/ktx/src/ktx/Writer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ktx/src/ktx/Writer.cpp
@@ -43,12 +43,9 @@ namespace ktx {
     std::unique_ptr<KTX> KTX::createBare(const Header& header, const KeyValues& keyValues) {
         auto descriptors = header.generateImageDescriptors();
 
-        auto newHeader = header;
-
         Byte minMip = header.numberOfMipmapLevels;
         auto newKeyValues = keyValues;
         newKeyValues.emplace_back(KeyValue(HIFI_MIN_POPULATED_MIP_KEY, sizeof(Byte), &minMip));
-        newHeader.bytesOfKeyValueData = KeyValue::serializedKeyValuesByteSize(newKeyValues);
 
         StoragePointer storagePointer;
         {