diff --git a/src/mol-repr/structure/visual/util/element.ts b/src/mol-repr/structure/visual/util/element.ts
index ae67e9c7aafdcbd6070d58120e62973c94ef4d6f..58b60b13ecca87b1e7ed65ac3925d160ee66c538 100644
--- a/src/mol-repr/structure/visual/util/element.ts
+++ b/src/mol-repr/structure/visual/util/element.ts
@@ -59,11 +59,8 @@ export function createElementSphereImpostor(ctx: VisualContext, unit: Unit, stru
 
     const v = Vec3.zero()
     const pos = unit.conformation.invariantPosition
-    const l = StructureElement.create()
-    l.unit = unit
 
     for (let i = 0; i < elementCount; i++) {
-        l.element = elements[i]
         pos(elements[i], v)
         builder.add(v[0], v[1], v[2], i)
     }