diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go
index ffbeb20053..43d48b4a65 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go
@@ -409,7 +409,6 @@ func (n *MakeExpr) SetOp(op Op) {
 // (It may be copied and assigned a type, though.)
 type NilExpr struct {
 	miniExpr
-	Sym_ *types.Sym // TODO: Remove
 }
 
 func NewNilExpr(pos src.XPos) *NilExpr {
@@ -419,9 +418,6 @@ func NewNilExpr(pos src.XPos) *NilExpr {
 	return n
 }
 
-func (n *NilExpr) Sym() *types.Sym     { return n.Sym_ }
-func (n *NilExpr) SetSym(x *types.Sym) { n.Sym_ = x }
-
 // A ParenExpr is a parenthesized expression (X).
 // It may end up being a value or a type.
 type ParenExpr struct {
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go
index a49bf5793e..19cb244d58 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go
@@ -101,9 +101,7 @@ func InitUniverse() {
 	ir.AsNode(s.Def).SetType(types.Types[types.TBLANK])
 
 	s = types.BuiltinPkg.Lookup("nil")
-	nnil := NodNil()
-	nnil.(*ir.NilExpr).SetSym(s)
-	s.Def = nnil
+	s.Def = NodNil()
 
 	// initialize okfor
 	for et := types.Kind(0); et < types.NTYPE; et++ {