diff --git a/src/mains/HofX.cc b/src/mains/HofX.cc
index afae4b5d..78a425ba 100644
--- a/src/mains/HofX.cc
+++ b/src/mains/HofX.cc
@@ -13,13 +13,11 @@
 
 #include "oops/runs/HofX4D.h"
 #include "oops/runs/Run.h"
-#include "ufo/instantiateObsErrorFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/instantiateObsFilterFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/ObsTraits.h"
 
 int main(int argc,  char ** argv) {
   oops::Run run(argc, argv);
-  ufo::instantiateObsErrorFactory();
   ufo::instantiateObsFilterFactory();
   oops::HofX4D<soca::Traits, ufo::ObsTraits> hofx;
   return run.execute(hofx);
diff --git a/src/mains/HofX3D.cc b/src/mains/HofX3D.cc
index 03348a4d..746f0239 100644
--- a/src/mains/HofX3D.cc
+++ b/src/mains/HofX3D.cc
@@ -9,13 +9,11 @@
 #include "oops/runs/HofX3D.h"
 #include "oops/runs/Run.h"
 #include "soca/Traits.h"
-#include "ufo/instantiateObsErrorFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/instantiateObsFilterFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/ObsTraits.h"
 
 int main(int argc,  char ** argv) {
   oops::Run run(argc, argv);
-  ufo::instantiateObsErrorFactory();
   ufo::instantiateObsFilterFactory();
   oops::HofX3D<soca::Traits, ufo::ObsTraits> hofx;
   return run.execute(hofx);
diff --git a/src/mains/LETKF.cc b/src/mains/LETKF.cc
index d87b6fda..2a2c79e0 100644
--- a/src/mains/LETKF.cc
+++ b/src/mains/LETKF.cc
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 #include "oops/runs/Run.h"
 #include "soca/GeometryIterator/GeometryIterator.h"
 #include "soca/Traits.h"
-#include "ufo/instantiateObsErrorFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/instantiateObsFilterFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/instantiateObsLocFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/ObsTraits.h"
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@
 int main(int argc,  char ** argv) {
   oops::Run run(argc, argv);
   ufo::instantiateObsLocFactory<soca::GeometryIterator>();
-  ufo::instantiateObsErrorFactory();
   ufo::instantiateObsFilterFactory();
   oops::LocalEnsembleDA<soca::Traits, ufo::ObsTraits> letkf;
   return run.execute(letkf);
diff --git a/src/mains/Var.cc b/src/mains/Var.cc
index 632e9872..9ffce792 100644
--- a/src/mains/Var.cc
+++ b/src/mains/Var.cc
@@ -14,13 +14,11 @@
 #include "oops/runs/Variational.h"
 #include "saber/oops/instantiateCovarFactory.h"
 #include "soca/Traits.h"
-#include "ufo/instantiateObsErrorFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/instantiateObsFilterFactory.h"
 #include "ufo/ObsTraits.h"
 
 int main(int argc,  char ** argv) {
   oops::Run run(argc, argv);
-  ufo::instantiateObsErrorFactory();
   ufo::instantiateObsFilterFactory();
   saber::instantiateCovarFactory<soca::Traits>();
   oops::Variational<soca::Traits, ufo::ObsTraits> var;