diff --git a/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.cpp b/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.cpp
index 7ad73e76..57ae8dd9 100644
--- a/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.cpp
+++ b/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ namespace YouCompleteMe {
 
 LetterNode::LetterNode( char letter, int index )
   : is_uppercase_( IsUppercase( letter ) ),
-    is_root_node_( false ),
     index_( index ) {
 }
 
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ LetterNode::LetterNode( char letter, int index )
 // TODO: this class needs tests
 LetterNode::LetterNode( const std::string &text )
   : is_uppercase_( false ),
-    is_root_node_( true ),
     index_( -1 ) {
   letternode_per_text_index_.resize( text.size() );
 
diff --git a/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.h b/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.h
index 9704ca13..9a26bb31 100644
--- a/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.h
+++ b/cpp/ycm/LetterNode.h
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ private:
   LetterNodeListMap letters_;
   std::vector< boost::shared_ptr< LetterNode > > letternode_per_text_index_;
   bool is_uppercase_;
-  bool is_root_node_;
   int index_;
 };