diff --git a/src/xfns.c b/src/xfns.c
index 52902208735..1af4921e1c6 100644
--- a/src/xfns.c
+++ b/src/xfns.c
@@ -2439,9 +2439,7 @@ x_set_name (f, name, explicit)
 	int bytes, stringp;
 	Lisp_Object coding_system;
 
-	coding_system = Vlocale_coding_system;
-	if (NILP (coding_system))
-	  coding_system = Qcompound_text;
+	coding_system = Qcompound_text;
 	text.value = x_encode_text (name, coding_system, 0, &bytes, &stringp);
 	text.encoding = (stringp ? XA_STRING
 			 : FRAME_X_DISPLAY_INFO (f)->Xatom_COMPOUND_TEXT);
@@ -2546,9 +2544,7 @@ x_set_title (f, name, old_name)
 	int bytes, stringp;
 	Lisp_Object coding_system;
 
-	coding_system = Vlocale_coding_system;
-	if (NILP (coding_system))
-	  coding_system = Qcompound_text;
+	coding_system = Qcompound_text;
 	text.value = x_encode_text (name, coding_system, 0, &bytes, &stringp);
 	text.encoding = (stringp ? XA_STRING
 			 : FRAME_X_DISPLAY_INFO (f)->Xatom_COMPOUND_TEXT);