diff --git a/pandas/_libs/src/ujson/python/objToJSON.c b/pandas/_libs/src/ujson/python/objToJSON.c
index 5181b0400d7bb..c413a16f8d5f0 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/src/ujson/python/objToJSON.c
+++ b/pandas/_libs/src/ujson/python/objToJSON.c
@@ -176,9 +176,8 @@ void *initObjToJSON(void) {
         Py_DECREF(mod_nattype);
     }
 
-    /* Initialise numpy API and use 2/3 compatible return */
+    /* Initialise numpy API */
     import_array();
-    return NUMPY_IMPORT_ARRAY_RETVAL;
 }
 
 static TypeContext *createTypeContext(void) {