diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/bib-mode.el b/lisp/textmodes/bib-mode.el
index 83759090aff..af49464d1ee 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/bib-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/bib-mode.el
@@ -227,7 +227,6 @@ named by variable `bib-unread-file'."
 (defun bib-capitalize-title (s)
   "Like `capitalize', but don't capitalize stop words, except the first."
   (with-temp-buffer
-    (erase-buffer)
     (insert s)
     (bib-capitalize-title-region (point-min) (point-max))
     (buffer-string)))
diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/refbib.el b/lisp/textmodes/refbib.el
index f697fcaf403..203a0fdbb72 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/refbib.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/refbib.el
@@ -165,7 +165,6 @@ This is in addition to the `r2b-capitalize-title-stop-words'.")
 (defun r2b-capitalize-title (s)
   "Like `capitalize', but don't capitalize stop words, except the first."
   (with-temp-buffer
-    (erase-buffer)
     (insert s)
     (r2b-capitalize-title-region (point-min) (point-max))
     (buffer-string)))