PHP coding/logic error with process->start assignment

In background_process.module around line #604 (#649 on git) there is the following code:

<?php
$process->start = $process->start ? $process->start : $process->start;
?>

It looks almost like you started working on that and then forgot to do something to finish it.
Functionally, the code does not break anything.
If nothing needs to be done, then the better to remove unneeded code.