diff --git a/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c b/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c
index 32b9cf7ff..24895e9ef 100644
--- a/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c
+++ b/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c
@@ -4110,10 +4110,7 @@ static int riscv013_select_current_hart(struct target *target)
 	if (r->current_hartid == dm->current_hartid)
 		return ERROR_OK;
 
-	uint32_t dmcontrol;
-	/* TODO: can't we just "dmcontrol = DMI_DMACTIVE"? */
-	if (dmi_read(target, &dmcontrol, DM_DMCONTROL) != ERROR_OK)
-		return ERROR_FAIL;
+	uint32_t dmcontrol = DM_DMCONTROL_DMACTIVE;
 	dmcontrol = set_hartsel(dmcontrol, r->current_hartid);
 	int result = dmi_write(target, DM_DMCONTROL, dmcontrol);
 	dm->current_hartid = r->current_hartid;