diff --git a/bin/parse_cmd.sh b/bin/parse_cmd.sh
index 6bc1ba7d3419f1446c3c4450f3bc6251af56d3d0..f2e6d24a4b7e943a1a8010c476dc44042946b2f4 100755
--- a/bin/parse_cmd.sh
+++ b/bin/parse_cmd.sh
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ elif [ -z $MINQ2 ] && [ ! -z $REQUIRE_MINQ2 ]; then
   echo "ERROR: MINQ2 not defined: --minq2 <energy>"
   print_the_help
   exit 1
-elif [ -z $MINQ2 ] && [ -z $REQUIRE_MINQ2 ]; then
+elif [ ! -z $MINQ2 ] && [ -z $REQUIRE_MINQ2 ]; then
   echo "ERROR: MINQ2 flag specified but not required"
   print_the_help
   exit 1