diff --git a/bin/stow.in b/bin/stow.in
index 5e4da93..8254d2d 100755
--- a/bin/stow.in
+++ b/bin/stow.in
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@ Report bugs to: bug-stow\@gnu.org
 Stow home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/stow/>
 General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
 EOT
-    exit defined $msg ? 1 : 0;
+    exit (defined $msg ? 1 : 0);
 }
 
 sub version {