diff --git a/binfmt/libelf/libelf_load.c b/binfmt/libelf/libelf_load.c
index 7b4dbae0ba..5fa24ccffb 100644
--- a/binfmt/libelf/libelf_load.c
+++ b/binfmt/libelf/libelf_load.c
@@ -304,12 +304,10 @@ int elf_load(FAR struct elf_loadinfo_s *loadinfo)
       goto errout_with_buffers;
     }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_BUILD_KERNEL
   /* Initialize the user heap */
 
   umm_initialize((FAR void *)CONFIG_ARCH_HEAP_VBASE,
                  up_addrenv_heapsize(&loadinfo->addrenv));
-#endif
 #endif
 
   /* Load ELF section data into memory */