diff --git a/src/ripple/app/hook/impl/applyHook.cpp b/src/ripple/app/hook/impl/applyHook.cpp
index 4b0956e9a..1a52f4baf 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/hook/impl/applyHook.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/hook/impl/applyHook.cpp
@@ -6488,7 +6488,7 @@ __sto_emplace(
     if (sread_len < 2)
         return TOO_SMALL;
 
-    if (fread_len == 0 && *fread_ptr == 0)
+    if (fread_len == 0 && fread_ptr == 0)
     {
         // this is a delete operation
     }