diff --git a/libgnucash/engine/Split.c b/libgnucash/engine/Split.c
index af95889825..b36e59bbfc 100644
--- a/libgnucash/engine/Split.c
+++ b/libgnucash/engine/Split.c
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ enum
 
 };
 
-static const char * is_unset = "unset";
 static const char * split_type_normal = "normal";
 static const char * split_type_stock_split = "stock-split";
 
@@ -120,7 +119,6 @@ gnc_split_init(Split* split)
     split->value       = gnc_numeric_zero();
 
     split->date_reconciled  = 0;
-    split->split_type = is_unset;
 
     split->balance             = gnc_numeric_zero();
     split->cleared_balance     = gnc_numeric_zero();
@@ -721,7 +719,6 @@ xaccFreeSplit (Split *split)
     split->lot         = NULL;
     split->acc         = NULL;
     split->orig_acc    = NULL;
-    split->split_type  = NULL;
 
     split->date_reconciled = 0;
     G_OBJECT_CLASS (QOF_INSTANCE_GET_CLASS (&split->inst))->dispose(G_OBJECT (split));
@@ -1969,25 +1966,24 @@ const char *
 xaccSplitGetType(const Split *s)
 {
     if (!s) return NULL;
-    if (s->split_type == is_unset)
+
+    GValue v = G_VALUE_INIT;
+    Split *split = (Split*) s;
+    const char* type;
+    qof_instance_get_kvp (QOF_INSTANCE (s), &v, 1, "split-type");
+    type = G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (&v) ? g_value_get_string (&v) : NULL;
+    const char *rv;
+    if (!type || !g_strcmp0 (type, split_type_normal))
+        rv = split_type_normal;
+    else if (!g_strcmp0 (type, split_type_stock_split))
+        rv = split_type_stock_split;
+    else
     {
-        GValue v = G_VALUE_INIT;
-        Split *split = (Split*) s;
-        const char* type;
-        qof_instance_get_kvp (QOF_INSTANCE (s), &v, 1, "split-type");
-        type = G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (&v) ? g_value_get_string (&v) : NULL;
-        if (!type || !g_strcmp0 (type, split_type_normal))
-            split->split_type = (char*) split_type_normal;
-        else if (!g_strcmp0 (type, split_type_stock_split))
-            split->split_type = (char*) split_type_stock_split;
-        else
-        {
-            PERR ("unexpected split-type %s, reset to normal.", type);
-            split->split_type = split_type_normal;
-        }
-        g_value_unset (&v);
+        PERR ("unexpected split-type %s, reset to normal.", type);
+        rv = split_type_normal;
     }
-    return s->split_type;
+    g_value_unset (&v);
+    return rv;
 }
 
 /* reconfigure a split to be a stock split - after this, you shouldn't
@@ -2001,7 +1997,6 @@ xaccSplitMakeStockSplit(Split *s)
     s->value = gnc_numeric_zero();
     g_value_init (&v, G_TYPE_STRING);
     g_value_set_static_string (&v, split_type_stock_split);
-    s->split_type = split_type_stock_split;
     qof_instance_set_kvp (QOF_INSTANCE (s), &v, 1, "split-type");
     SET_GAINS_VDIRTY(s);
     mark_split(s);