diff --git a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp
index c0a7f13956..9f0a0e805b 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ LifeMeterBar::LifeMeterBar()
 
 	m_fPassingAlpha = 0;
 	m_fHotAlpha = 0;
-	m_bFailedEarlier = false;
 
 	m_fBaseLifeDifficulty = PREFSMAN->m_fLifeDifficultyScale;
 	m_fLifeDifficulty = m_fBaseLifeDifficulty;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h
index 651842225d..56abc04f13 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ private:
 
 	float			m_fPassingAlpha;
 	float			m_fHotAlpha;
-	bool			m_bFailedEarlier;		// set this to true when life dips below 0
 
 	float			m_fBaseLifeDifficulty;
 	float			m_fLifeDifficulty;		// essentially same as pref