diff --git a/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py b/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py
index 1d93542af9a..30d273bcd1a 100644
--- a/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py
+++ b/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ class ExpatParser(xmlreader.IncrementalParser, xmlreader.Locator):
 #         self._parser.NotStandaloneHandler = 
         self._parser.ExternalEntityRefHandler = self.external_entity_ref
 
-        self._parsing = 0
         self._entity_stack = []
         
     # Locator methods