diff --git a/lib/rdoc/text.rb b/lib/rdoc/text.rb
index cf708e6bbd..88ff255f01 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/text.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/text.rb
@@ -5,16 +5,6 @@
 
 require 'strscan'
 
-##
-# For RDoc::Text#snippet
-
-begin
-  gem 'json'
-rescue NameError => e # --disable-gems
-  raise unless e.name == :gem
-rescue Gem::LoadError
-end
-
 ##
 # Methods for manipulating comment text