diff --git a/Objects/complexobject.c b/Objects/complexobject.c
index 2659a23..9e97d1b 100644
--- a/Objects/complexobject.c
+++ b/Objects/complexobject.c
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@
         len = strlen(s);
     }
 #endif
-    else if (PyObject_AsCharBuffer(v, &s, &len)) {
+    else {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
                         "complex() arg is not a string");
         return NULL;