diff --git a/Assemble.c b/Assemble.c
index b3a214a..4b9b408 100644
--- a/Assemble.c
+++ b/Assemble.c
@@ -391,22 +391,21 @@ int Assemble(struct supertype *st, char *mddev,
 				fprintf(stderr, Name ": looking in container %s\n",
 					devname);
 
-			tmpdev->content = tst->ss->container_content(tst, NULL);
+			content = tst->ss->container_content(tst, NULL);
 		next_member:
-			if (tmpdev->content)
-				content = tmpdev->content;
 
 			if (!content)
 				goto loop; /* empty container */
 
-			tmpdev->content = content->next;
-			if (tmpdev->content == NULL)
+			if (content->next == NULL)
 				tmpdev->used = 2;
 
 			if (!ident_matches(ident, content, tst,
 					   homehost, update,
-					   report_missmatch ? devname : NULL))
+					   report_missmatch ? devname : NULL)) {
+				content = content->next;
 				goto next_member;
+			}
 
 			/* we have the one container we need, don't keep
 			 * looking.  If the chosen member is active, skip.
@@ -417,11 +416,11 @@ int Assemble(struct supertype *st, char *mddev,
 						content->text_version,
 						devname);
 			skip:
-				if (tmpdev->content)
+				content = content->next;
+				if (content)
 					goto next_member;
 				tst->ss->free_super(tst);
 				tst = NULL;
-				content = NULL;
 				if (auto_assem)
 					goto loop;
 				dev_policy_free(pol);
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index f4d46ff..1f78c68 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -260,7 +260,6 @@ struct mddev_dev *load_partitions(void)
 		d->devname = strdup(name);
 		d->next = rv;
 		d->used = 0;
-		d->content = NULL;
 		rv = d;
 	}
 	fclose(f);
@@ -290,7 +289,6 @@ struct mddev_dev *load_containers(void)
 			}
 			d->next = rv;
 			d->used = 0;
-			d->content = NULL;
 			rv = d;
 		}
 	free_mdstat(mdstat);
@@ -964,7 +962,6 @@ struct mddev_dev *conf_get_devs()
 			t->devname = strdup(globbuf.gl_pathv[i]);
 			t->next = dlist;
 			t->used = 0;
-			t->content = NULL;
 			dlist = t;
 /*	printf("one dev is %s\n", t->devname);*/
 		}
diff --git a/mdadm.c b/mdadm.c
index efb2e67..4a85474 100644
--- a/mdadm.c
+++ b/mdadm.c
@@ -265,7 +265,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 					dv->writemostly = writemostly;
 					dv->re_add = re_add;
 					dv->used = 0;
-					dv->content = NULL;
 					dv->next = NULL;
 					*devlistend = dv;
 					devlistend = &dv->next;
@@ -320,7 +319,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			dv->writemostly = writemostly;
 			dv->re_add = re_add;
 			dv->used = 0;
-			dv->content = NULL;
 			dv->next = NULL;
 			*devlistend = dv;
 			devlistend = &dv->next;
diff --git a/mdadm.h b/mdadm.h
index 614dc69..6d1169b 100644
--- a/mdadm.h
+++ b/mdadm.h
@@ -337,8 +337,6 @@ struct mddev_dev {
 	char writemostly;	/* 1 for 'set writemostly', 2 for 'clear writemostly' */
 	char re_add;
 	char used;		/* set when used */
-	struct mdinfo *content;	/* If devname is a container, this might list
-				 * the remaining member arrays. */
 	struct mddev_dev *next;
 };