diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
index 1c9d4c8041..040a34e0cc 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
@@ -148,8 +148,9 @@ operator bool () const {
 #ifdef HAVE_PYTHON
       PyErr_Warn(PyExc_FutureWarning, (char *)msg);
 #endif
+      return !is_empty();
     }
-      return true;
+
 
   case ENP_transition:
     if (!is_empty()) {