diff --git a/src/channel.cpp b/src/channel.cpp
index bd67dad..f906527 100644
--- a/src/channel.cpp
+++ b/src/channel.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ int NeoComm_join_channel(const char *channel_name) {
 	}
 
 	// if it already exists then just exit
-	if(channels.find(s_chan_name) == channels.end())
+	if(channels.find(s_chan_name) not_eq channels.end())
 		return 1;
 
 	dht::InfoHash chan_hash(s_chan_name);