diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index f1b21d51..f7519cb7 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -184,9 +184,7 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	if (data->flag_horizontal)
 		type = LAYOUT_LEFTRIGHT;
 
-	wp = window_add_pane(w, hlimit, &cause);
-	if (wp == NULL)
-		goto error;
+	wp = window_add_pane(w, hlimit);
 	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, cmd, cwd, env, &cause) != 0)
 		goto error;
 	if (layout_split_pane(w->active, type, size, wp) != 0) {
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 70c5a4b8..4e970535 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1469,7 +1469,7 @@ struct window	*window_create(const char *, const char *,
 		     const char *, const char **, u_int, u_int, u_int, char **);
 void		 window_destroy(struct window *);
 void		 window_set_active_pane(struct window *, struct window_pane *);
-struct window_pane *window_add_pane(struct window *, u_int, char **);
+struct window_pane *window_add_pane(struct window *, u_int);
 void		 window_resize(struct window *, u_int, u_int);
 void		 window_remove_pane(struct window *, struct window_pane *);
 struct window_pane *window_pane_at_index(struct window *, u_int);
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 5af60da3..bc6906a8 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -260,10 +260,7 @@ window_create(const char *name, const char *cmd, const char *cwd,
 	struct window_pane	*wp;
 
 	w = window_create1(sx, sy);
-	if ((wp = window_add_pane(w, hlimit, cause)) == NULL) {
-		window_destroy(w);
-		return (NULL);
-	}
+	wp = window_add_pane(w, hlimit);
 	layout_init(w);
 	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, cmd, cwd, envp, cause) != 0) {
 		window_destroy(w);
@@ -322,7 +319,7 @@ window_set_active_pane(struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp)
 }
 
 struct window_pane *
-window_add_pane(struct window *w, u_int hlimit, unused char **cause)
+window_add_pane(struct window *w, u_int hlimit)
 {
 	struct window_pane	*wp;