diff --git a/src/calendar/libecal/e-reminder-watcher.c b/src/calendar/libecal/e-reminder-watcher.c
index f1614f2..c01e8b2 100644
--- a/src/calendar/libecal/e-reminder-watcher.c
+++ b/src/calendar/libecal/e-reminder-watcher.c
@@ -2609,26 +2609,6 @@ e_reminder_watcher_load_clock_format (EReminderWatcher *watcher)
 	g_free (clock_format);
 }
 
-static GSettings*
-e_reminder_watcher_load_settings_tentative (const gchar *schema_id)
-{
-	GSettings *settings;
-	GSettingsSchemaSource *schema_source;
-	GSettingsSchema *schema;
-
-	schema_source = g_settings_schema_source_get_default ();
-	schema = g_settings_schema_source_lookup (schema_source, schema_id, TRUE);
-
-	if (schema == NULL) {
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
-	settings = g_settings_new (schema_id);
-	/* only unref after g_settings_new() to avoid needless realloc */
-	g_settings_schema_unref (schema);
-	return settings;
-}
-
 static void
 e_reminder_watcher_init (EReminderWatcher *watcher)
 {
@@ -2647,7 +2627,7 @@ e_reminder_watcher_init (EReminderWatcher *watcher)
 	watcher->priv = e_reminder_watcher_get_instance_private (watcher);
 	watcher->priv->cancellable = g_cancellable_new ();
 	watcher->priv->settings = g_settings_new ("org.gnome.evolution-data-server.calendar");
-	watcher->priv->desktop_settings = e_reminder_watcher_load_settings_tentative ("org.gnome.desktop.interface");
+	watcher->priv->desktop_settings = g_settings_new ("org.gnome.desktop.interface");
 	if (watcher->priv->desktop_settings) {
 		g_signal_connect_object (
 			watcher->priv->desktop_settings,