diff --git a/src/lxc/terminal.c b/src/lxc/terminal.c
index c2516b205..c883b1c8c 100644
--- a/src/lxc/terminal.c
+++ b/src/lxc/terminal.c
@@ -1167,10 +1167,7 @@ int lxc_terminal_map_ids(struct lxc_conf *c, struct lxc_terminal *terminal)
 	if (strcmp(terminal->name, "") == 0)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (terminal->slave >= 0)
-		ret = userns_exec_mapped_root(terminal->name, terminal->slave, c);
-	else
-		ret = userns_exec_mapped_root(terminal->name, terminal->slave, c);
+	ret = userns_exec_mapped_root(terminal->name, terminal->slave, c);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		return log_error(-1, "Failed to chown terminal %d(%s)",
 				 terminal->slave, terminal->name);