diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetSampleMaterial.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetSampleMaterial.cpp
index 44dbe8ffab0fec4ce700f79c46f509ddbe640732..5d4a74c1aaecf554899940e3a5ee88fce8becae6 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetSampleMaterial.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetSampleMaterial.cpp
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@ void SetSampleMaterial::exec() {
   }
 
   ReadMaterial reader;
-  const std::string chemicalSymbol = getProperty("ChemicalFormula");
   params.coherentXSection = getProperty("CoherentXSection");
   params.incoherentXSection = getProperty("IncoherentXSection");
   params.attenuationXSection = getProperty("AttenuationXSection");