diff --git a/tests/core/mkdir.c b/tests/core/mkdir.c
index a0e8491a2..f76fe1da9 100644
--- a/tests/core/mkdir.c
+++ b/tests/core/mkdir.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ static void cleanup_chmod_root(void *ref)
 {
 	mode_t *mode = ref;
 
-	if (*mode != 0) {
+	if (mode != NULL) {
 		(void)p_umask(*mode);
 		git__free(mode);
 	}