diff --git a/lib/rake.rb b/lib/rake.rb
index 77cb0c73a..2006fbad9 100644
--- a/lib/rake.rb
+++ b/lib/rake.rb
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@ module Rake; end
 require_relative "rake/application"
 require_relative "rake/backtrace"
 
-$trace = false
-
 # :stopdoc:
 #
 # Some top level Constants.