diff --git a/html5lib/_ihatexml.py b/html5lib/_ihatexml.py
index 3ff803c1..d725eabd 100644
--- a/html5lib/_ihatexml.py
+++ b/html5lib/_ihatexml.py
@@ -104,18 +104,15 @@ def charStringToList(chars):
     charRanges = [item.strip() for item in chars.split(" | ")]
     rv = []
     for item in charRanges:
-        foundMatch = False
         for regexp in (reChar, reCharRange):
             match = regexp.match(item)
             if match is not None:
                 rv.append([hexToInt(item) for item in match.groups()])
                 if len(rv[-1]) == 1:
                     rv[-1] = rv[-1] * 2
-                foundMatch = True
                 break
-        if not foundMatch:
+        else:
             assert len(item) == 1
-
             rv.append([ord(item)] * 2)
     rv = normaliseCharList(rv)
     return rv