diff --git a/modules/internal/DefaultRectangular.chpl b/modules/internal/DefaultRectangular.chpl
index d218b0a3ec31..35bfa7fb286d 100644
--- a/modules/internal/DefaultRectangular.chpl
+++ b/modules/internal/DefaultRectangular.chpl
@@ -143,15 +143,7 @@ module DefaultRectangular {
 
   proc chpl_defaultDistInitPrivate() {
     if defaultDist._value==nil {
-      // FIXME benharsh: Here's what we want to do:
-      //   defaultDist = new dmap(new DefaultDist());
-      // The problem is that the LHS of the "proc =" for _distributions
-      // loses its ref intent in the removeWrapRecords pass.
-      //
-      // The code below is copied from the contents of the "proc =".
-      const nd = new dmap(new unmanaged DefaultDist());
-      __primitive("move", defaultDist, chpl__autoCopy(nd.clone(),
-                                                      definedConst=false));
+      defaultDist = new dmap(new DefaultDist());
     }
   }