diff --git a/src/repository.c b/src/repository.c
index e5f23e4e4..80904d5fa 100644
--- a/src/repository.c
+++ b/src/repository.c
@@ -1500,8 +1500,10 @@ int git_repository_is_empty(git_repository *repo)
 	if (git_reference_lookup(&head, repo, GIT_HEAD_FILE) < 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	if (!(error = (git_reference_type(head) == GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC)))
+	if (git_reference_type(head) != GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC) {
+		error = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
+	}
 
 	if (!(error = (strcmp(
 		git_reference_symbolic_target(head),