diff --git a/ocl.c b/ocl.c
index b3bb112f..e1a58402 100644
--- a/ocl.c
+++ b/ocl.c
@@ -483,12 +483,6 @@ _clState *initCl(unsigned int gpu, char *name, size_t nameSize)
 			goto build;
 		}
 
-		clRetainProgram(clState->program);
-		if (status != CL_SUCCESS) {
-			applog(LOG_ERR, "Error %d: Retaining Program (clRetainProgram)", status);
-			return NULL;
-		}
-
 		fclose(binaryfile);
 		applog(LOG_DEBUG, "Loaded binary image %s", binaryfilename);
 
@@ -506,12 +500,6 @@ build:
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	clRetainProgram(clState->program);
-	if (status != CL_SUCCESS) {
-		applog(LOG_ERR, "Error %d: Retaining Program (clRetainProgram)", status);
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
 	/* create a cl program executable for all the devices specified */
 	char *CompilerOptions = calloc(1, 256);
 
@@ -643,12 +631,6 @@ build:
 			return NULL;
 		}
 
-		clRetainProgram(clState->program);
-		if (status != CL_SUCCESS) {
-			applog(LOG_ERR, "Error %d: Retaining Program (clRetainProgram)", status);
-			return NULL;
-		}
-
 		/* Program needs to be rebuilt */
 		prog_built = false;
 	}
@@ -689,12 +671,6 @@ built:
 			applog(LOG_ERR, "%s", log);
 			return NULL;
 		}
-
-		clRetainProgram(clState->program);
-		if (status != CL_SUCCESS) {
-			applog(LOG_ERR, "Error %d: Retaining Program (clRetainProgram)", status);
-			return NULL;
-		}
 	}
 
 	/* get a kernel object handle for a kernel with the given name */