diff --git a/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c b/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c
index c0d91a1579..daea861390 100644
--- a/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c
+++ b/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c
@@ -363,10 +363,8 @@ static int ws_read_payload(esp_transport_handle_t t, char *buffer, int len, int
     }
     ws->frame_state.bytes_remaining -= rlen;
 
-    if (ws->frame_state.mask_key) {
-        for (int i = 0; i < bytes_to_read; i++) {
-            buffer[i] = (buffer[i] ^ ws->frame_state.mask_key[i % 4]);
-        }
+    for (int i = 0; i < bytes_to_read; i++) {
+        buffer[i] = (buffer[i] ^ ws->frame_state.mask_key[i % 4]);
     }
     return rlen;
 }