diff --git a/lib/event/rpc.c b/lib/event/rpc.c
index a11bdad88..89e5d62c9 100644
--- a/lib/event/rpc.c
+++ b/lib/event/rpc.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ spdk_rpc_initialize(const char *listen_addr)
 {
 	int rc;
 
-	if (rpc_get_listen_addr() != NULL) {
+	if (listen_addr == NULL) {
 		listen_addr = rpc_get_listen_addr();
 	}