diff --git a/panda/src/physics/actorNode.cxx b/panda/src/physics/actorNode.cxx
index caf1195be1..9f88991287 100644
--- a/panda/src/physics/actorNode.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/physics/actorNode.cxx
@@ -91,9 +91,7 @@ transform_changed(NodeRelation *arc) {
 
   // extract the orientation
   if (_mass_center->get_oriented() == true) {
-    LOrientationf orientation;
-    orientation.set(tt->get_matrix());
-
+    LOrientationf orientation(tt->get_matrix());
     _mass_center->set_orientation(orientation);
   }