diff --git a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index 6f531178b..35781df6f 100644
--- a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -1586,12 +1586,8 @@ function wp_insert_term( $term, $taxonomy, $args = array() ) {
 	$name = stripslashes($name);
 	$description = stripslashes($description);
 
-	$slug_from_name = sanitize_title($name);
-
 	if ( empty($slug) )
-		$slug = $slug_from_name;
-	elseif ( is_term($slug) && ( $slug != $slug_from_name ) )
-		return new WP_Error('term_slug_exists', __('A term with the slug provided already exists.'));
+		$slug = sanitize_title($name);
 
 	$term_group = 0;
 	if ( $alias_of ) {