diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/legend.py b/lib/matplotlib/legend.py
index c61be2c5550a..ee3a64b00212 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/legend.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/legend.py
@@ -448,7 +448,6 @@ def val_or_rc(val, rc_name):
             labels.reverse()
             handles.reverse()
 
-        handles = list(handles)
         if len(handles) < 2:
             ncols = 1
         self._ncols = ncols if ncols != 1 else ncol