diff --git a/servers/slapd/aclparse.c b/servers/slapd/aclparse.c
index 1d2f09fd920a702e3ed75651eb08503e9caa8388..e1ac80530632bc52f4c86be59fa96cf9a73a20f9 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/aclparse.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/aclparse.c
@@ -2830,7 +2830,7 @@ acl_unparse( AccessControl *a, struct berval *bv )
 		ptr = acl_safe_strcopy( ptr, "\n" );
 	}
 
-	if ( !BER_BVISEMPTY( &a->acl_attrval ) ) {
+	if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &a->acl_attrval ) ) {
 		to++;
 		ptr = acl_safe_strcopy( ptr, " val." );
 		if ( a->acl_attrval_style == ACL_STYLE_BASE &&