diff --git a/avconv_opt.c b/avconv_opt.c
index d73df67e97ba3f8a2f82405d41493c44ee9bc0be..c02e4798e60a73164c850db468d053d00207632b 100644
--- a/avconv_opt.c
+++ b/avconv_opt.c
@@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ static OutputStream *new_output_stream(OptionsContext *o, AVFormatContext *oc, e
             *next++ = 0;
 
         filter = av_bsf_get_by_name(bsf);
-        if (!bsf) {
+        if (!filter) {
             av_log(NULL, AV_LOG_FATAL, "Unknown bitstream filter %s\n", bsf);
             exit_program(1);
         }