diff --git a/acqui/lateorders.pl b/acqui/lateorders.pl
index 031fc88443..35ebec1d86 100755
--- a/acqui/lateorders.pl
+++ b/acqui/lateorders.pl
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ my $branch     = $input->param('branch');
 my $op         = $input->param('op');
 
 my @errors = ();
-if ( defined $delay and not $delay =~ /^\d{1,3}$/ ) {
+if ( $delay and not $delay =~ /^\d{1,3}$/ ) {
     push @errors, {delay_digits => 1, bad_delay => $delay};
 }