diff --git a/salt/cli/caller.py b/salt/cli/caller.py
index b0f678694bc..745b1750868 100644
--- a/salt/cli/caller.py
+++ b/salt/cli/caller.py
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ from salt.exceptions import (
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.log import LOG_LEVELS
 
-x = "fix pre"
-
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
diff --git a/salt/scripts.py b/salt/scripts.py
index 83246c0c885..8f3cde84777 100644
--- a/salt/scripts.py
+++ b/salt/scripts.py
@@ -429,9 +429,6 @@ def salt_cp():
     client.run()
 
 
-x = "fix pre"
-
-
 def salt_call():
     """
     Directly call a salt command in the modules, does not require a running
diff --git a/salt/transport/zeromq.py b/salt/transport/zeromq.py
index 5c490161cdc..0b4f130a449 100644
--- a/salt/transport/zeromq.py
+++ b/salt/transport/zeromq.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ from salt.utils.zeromq import (
     zmq,
 )
 
-x = "fix pre"
 try:
     import zmq.utils.monitor
 
diff --git a/scripts/salt-call b/scripts/salt-call
index 14a0197f6f4..9454f805bab 100755
--- a/scripts/salt-call
+++ b/scripts/salt-call
@@ -6,6 +6,5 @@ minion to run.
 
 from salt.scripts import salt_call
 
-x = "fix pre"
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     salt_call()
diff --git a/tests/unit/transport/test_zeromq.py b/tests/unit/transport/test_zeromq.py
index 80c2d729802..c78649ff9f1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/transport/test_zeromq.py
+++ b/tests/unit/transport/test_zeromq.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ from tests.unit.transport.mixins import (
     run_loop_in_thread,
 )
 
+x = "fix pre"
+
 # support pyzmq 13.0.x, TODO: remove once we force people to 14.0.x
 if not hasattr(zmq.eventloop.ioloop, "ZMQIOLoop"):
     zmq.eventloop.ioloop.ZMQIOLoop = zmq.eventloop.ioloop.IOLoop