diff --git a/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js b/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js
index 69be334b7e9748..a2b560d1382418 100644
--- a/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js
+++ b/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ const {
 } = require('internal/crypto/keys');
 
 const {
-  getDefaultEncoding,
   getArrayBufferOrView,
   getStringOption,
   kHandle,
@@ -172,10 +171,6 @@ Cipher.prototype._flush = function _flush(callback) {
 };
 
 Cipher.prototype.update = function update(data, inputEncoding, outputEncoding) {
-  const encoding = getDefaultEncoding();
-  inputEncoding = inputEncoding || encoding;
-  outputEncoding = outputEncoding || encoding;
-
   if (typeof data === 'string') {
     validateEncoding(data, inputEncoding);
   } else if (!isArrayBufferView(data)) {
@@ -195,7 +190,6 @@ Cipher.prototype.update = function update(data, inputEncoding, outputEncoding) {
 
 
 Cipher.prototype.final = function final(outputEncoding) {
-  outputEncoding = outputEncoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   const ret = this[kHandle].final();
 
   if (outputEncoding && outputEncoding !== 'buffer') {