diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 5a953519d3..72f28e3c9e 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -1769,7 +1769,7 @@ static ParameterError getparameter(char *flag, /* f or -long-flag */
       case 'v': /* --stderr */
         if(strcmp(nextarg, "-")) {
           FILE *newfile = fopen(nextarg, "wt");
-          if(!config->errors)
+          if(!newfile)
             warnf(config, "Failed to open %s!\n", nextarg);
           else {
             config->errors = newfile;