--- a/build/checksums.py
+++ b/build/checksums.py
@@ -127,23 +127,16 @@ def main():
 
     # Set up logging
     setup_logging(loglevel)
     logger = logging.getLogger('checksums.py')
 
     # Validate the digest type to use
     if not options.digests:
         options.digests = ['sha1']
-    try:
-        for digest in options.digests:
-            hashlib.new(digest)
-    except ValueError as ve:
-        logger.error('Could not create a "%s" hash object (%s)' %
-                     (digest, ve.args[0]))
-        exit(1)
 
     # Validate the files to checksum
     files = []
     for i in args:
         if os.path.exists(i):
             files.append(i)
         else:
             logger.info('File "%s" was not found on the filesystem' % i)