diff -urN bash-3.1.orig/variables.c bash-3.1/variables.c
--- bash-3.1.orig/variables.c	2005-11-12 21:22:37.000000000 -0500
+++ bash-3.1/variables.c	2006-01-15 14:59:34.020901440 -0500
@@ -860,9 +860,11 @@
 {
   char val[INT_STRLEN_BOUND(int) + 1], *v;
 
+#if defined (READLINE)
   /* If we are currently assigning to LINES or COLUMNS, don't do anything. */
   if (winsize_assignment)
     return;
+#endif
 
   v = inttostr (lines, val, sizeof (val));
   bind_variable ("LINES", v, 0);
