diff --git a/compat/mingw.c b/compat/mingw.c
index 496e6f8bb..f74da235f 100644
--- a/compat/mingw.c
+++ b/compat/mingw.c
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ int pipe(int filedes[2])
 		return -1;
 	}
 	filedes[1] = _open_osfhandle((int)h[1], O_NOINHERIT);
-	if (filedes[0] < 0) {
+	if (filedes[1] < 0) {
 		close(filedes[0]);
 		CloseHandle(h[1]);
 		return -1;