diff --git a/passes/techmap/flatten.cc b/passes/techmap/flatten.cc
index 25d559510..777ab58a8 100644
--- a/passes/techmap/flatten.cc
+++ b/passes/techmap/flatten.cc
@@ -33,10 +33,7 @@ IdString concat_name(RTLIL::Cell *cell, IdString object_name)
 	if (object_name[0] == '\\')
 		return stringf("%s.%s", cell->name.c_str(), object_name.c_str() + 1);
 	else {
-		std::string object_name_str = object_name.str();
-		if (object_name_str.substr(0, 8) == "$flatten")
-			object_name_str.erase(0, 8);
-		return stringf("$flatten%s.%s", cell->name.c_str(), object_name_str.c_str());
+		return stringf("%s.%s", cell->name.c_str(), object_name.c_str());
 	}
 }