diff --git a/src/mesa/main/shader_query.cpp b/src/mesa/main/shader_query.cpp
index 8c44d3eaeba..00f9d423670 100644
--- a/src/mesa/main/shader_query.cpp
+++ b/src/mesa/main/shader_query.cpp
@@ -409,12 +409,6 @@ _mesa_GetFragDataIndex(GLuint program, const GLchar *name)
    if (!name)
       return -1;
 
-   if (strncmp(name, "gl_", 3) == 0) {
-      _mesa_error(ctx, GL_INVALID_OPERATION,
-                  "glGetFragDataIndex(illegal name)");
-      return -1;
-   }
-
    /* Not having a fragment shader is not an error.
     */
    if (shProg->_LinkedShaders[MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT] == NULL)
@@ -444,12 +438,6 @@ _mesa_GetFragDataLocation(GLuint program, const GLchar *name)
    if (!name)
       return -1;
 
-   if (strncmp(name, "gl_", 3) == 0) {
-      _mesa_error(ctx, GL_INVALID_OPERATION,
-                  "glGetFragDataLocation(illegal name)");
-      return -1;
-   }
-
    /* Not having a fragment shader is not an error.
     */
    if (shProg->_LinkedShaders[MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT] == NULL)