diff --git a/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc.h b/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc.h
index 024c8adb62..023485a324 100644
--- a/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc.h
+++ b/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc.h
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ typedef struct __s_stringpair
 
 /* output to intermediate (.ASM) file */
    void               *sc_openasm(int fd);	/* read/write */
-   void                sc_closeasm(void *handle, int deletefile);
+   void                sc_closeasm(void *handle);
    void                sc_resetasm(void *handle);
    int                 sc_writeasm(void *handle, char *str);
    char               *sc_readasm(void *handle, char *target, int maxchars);
diff --git a/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc1.c b/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc1.c
index 75c3b712e3..111e16f15f 100644
--- a/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc1.c
+++ b/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc1.c
@@ -220,12 +220,10 @@ sc_openasm(int fd)
 }
 
 void
-sc_closeasm(void *handle, int deletefile)
+sc_closeasm(void *handle)
 {
    if (handle != NULL)
       fclose((FILE *) handle);
-   if (deletefile)
-      unlink(outfname);
 }
 
 void
@@ -326,6 +324,8 @@ sc_compile(int argc, char *argv[])
    if (fd_out < 0)
      error(101, outfname);
 
+   unlink (outfname); /* kill this file as soon as it's (f)close'd */
+
    setconfig(argv[0]);		/* the path to the include files */
    lcl_ctrlchar = sc_ctrlchar;
    lcl_packstr = sc_packstr;
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ sc_compile(int argc, char *argv[])
 	assemble(binf, outf);	/* assembler file is now input */
      }				/* if */
    if (outf != NULL)
-      sc_closeasm(outf, TRUE);
+      sc_closeasm(outf);
    if (binf != NULL)
       sc_closebin(binf, errnum != 0);
 
diff --git a/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc5.c b/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc5.c
index 728544f42a..0bd5fe0e11 100644
--- a/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc5.c
+++ b/legacy/embryo/src/bin/embryo_cc_sc5.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ error(int number, ...)
 
    if (sc_error(number, string, inpfname, start, fline, argptr))
    {
-      sc_closeasm(outf, TRUE);
+      sc_closeasm(outf);
       outf = NULL;
       longjmp(errbuf, 3);
    }
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ error(int number, ...)
 
 	if (outf != NULL)
 	  {
-	     sc_closeasm(outf, TRUE);
+	     sc_closeasm(outf);
 	     outf = NULL;
 	  }			/* if */
 	longjmp(errbuf, 2);	/* fatal error, quit */