diff --git a/lisp/org-table.el b/lisp/org-table.el
index 860d7720d..f5a433c7d 100644
--- a/lisp/org-table.el
+++ b/lisp/org-table.el
@@ -2864,7 +2864,7 @@ list, `literal' is for the format specifier L."
       (if lispp
 	  (if (eq lispp 'literal)
 	      elements
-	    (if (and (equal elements "") (not keep-empty))
+	    (if (and (eq elements "") (not keep-empty))
 		""
 	      (prin1-to-string
 	       (if numbers (string-to-number elements) elements))))