diff --git a/vp10/encoder/bitstream.c b/vp10/encoder/bitstream.c
index 7f3b6a2d6..19e7a7ff2 100644
--- a/vp10/encoder/bitstream.c
+++ b/vp10/encoder/bitstream.c
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ static void write_ref_frames(const VP10_COMMON *cm, const MACROBLOCKD *xd,
     if (cm->reference_mode == REFERENCE_MODE_SELECT) {
       vp10_write(w, is_compound, vp10_get_reference_mode_prob(cm, xd));
     } else {
-      assert(!is_compound == (cm->reference_mode == SINGLE_REFERENCE));
+      assert((!is_compound) == (cm->reference_mode == SINGLE_REFERENCE));
     }
 
     if (is_compound) {
diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c b/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c
index 5600ed458..9f8004b6f 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ static void write_ref_frames(const VP9_COMMON *cm, const MACROBLOCKD *xd,
     if (cm->reference_mode == REFERENCE_MODE_SELECT) {
       vpx_write(w, is_compound, vp9_get_reference_mode_prob(cm, xd));
     } else {
-      assert(!is_compound == (cm->reference_mode == SINGLE_REFERENCE));
+      assert((!is_compound) == (cm->reference_mode == SINGLE_REFERENCE));
     }
 
     if (is_compound) {