diff --git a/Polygon_mesh_processing/include/CGAL/Polygon_mesh_processing/repair_degeneracies.h b/Polygon_mesh_processing/include/CGAL/Polygon_mesh_processing/repair_degeneracies.h
index a553a07dcb1..1ffd10acdba 100644
--- a/Polygon_mesh_processing/include/CGAL/Polygon_mesh_processing/repair_degeneracies.h
+++ b/Polygon_mesh_processing/include/CGAL/Polygon_mesh_processing/repair_degeneracies.h
@@ -1378,7 +1378,6 @@ bool remove_degenerate_edges(const EdgeRange& edge_range,
 
   typedef typename GetGeomTraits<TM, NamedParameters>::type                       Traits;
 
-  std::size_t nb_deg_faces = 0;
   bool all_removed = false;
   bool some_removed = true;
   bool preserve_genus = choose_parameter(get_parameter(np, internal_np::preserve_genus), true);
@@ -1413,7 +1412,6 @@ bool remove_degenerate_edges(const EdgeRange& edge_range,
         // remove edges that could also be set for removal
         if(face(h, tmesh) != GT::null_face())
         {
-          ++nb_deg_faces;
           const edge_descriptor prev_e = edge(prev(h, tmesh), tmesh);
           degenerate_edges_to_remove.erase(prev_e);
           local_edge_range.erase(prev_e);
@@ -1422,7 +1420,6 @@ bool remove_degenerate_edges(const EdgeRange& edge_range,
 
         if(face(opposite(h, tmesh), tmesh) != GT::null_face())
         {
-          ++nb_deg_faces;
           const edge_descriptor prev_opp_e = edge(prev(opposite(h, tmesh), tmesh), tmesh);
           degenerate_edges_to_remove.erase(prev_opp_e);
           local_edge_range.erase(prev_opp_e);
@@ -1461,7 +1458,6 @@ bool remove_degenerate_edges(const EdgeRange& edge_range,
         // remove edges that could also be set for removal
         if(face(h, tmesh) != GT::null_face())
         {
-          ++nb_deg_faces;
           const edge_descriptor prev_e = edge(prev(h, tmesh), tmesh);
           degenerate_edges_to_remove.erase(prev_e);
           local_edge_range.erase(prev_e);
@@ -1470,7 +1466,6 @@ bool remove_degenerate_edges(const EdgeRange& edge_range,
 
         if(face(opposite(h, tmesh), tmesh)!=GT::null_face())
         {
-          ++nb_deg_faces;
           const edge_descriptor prev_opp_e = edge(prev(opposite(h, tmesh), tmesh), tmesh);
           degenerate_edges_to_remove.erase(prev_opp_e);
           local_edge_range.erase(prev_opp_e);