diff --git a/apps/enc.c b/apps/enc.c
index 77896bef33..cf1d98cd65 100644
--- a/apps/enc.c
+++ b/apps/enc.c
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ bad:
         e = setup_engine(bio_err, engine, 0);
 #endif
 
-	if (md && dgst=EVP_get_digestbyname(md)) == NULL)
+	if (md && (dgst=EVP_get_digestbyname(md)) == NULL)
 		{
 		BIO_printf(bio_err,"%s is an unsupported message digest type\n",md);
 		goto end;