--- a/gstreamer/gstreamermm/check.cc
+++ b/gstreamer/gstreamermm/check.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 
     element = ElementFactory::create_element (factory, factory);
 
-    ThrowIf (element, "Could not create a '" + factory + "' element");
+    ThrowIf (!!element, "Could not create a '" + factory + "' element");
     CheckRefCount (element->gobj(), factory, 1);
 
     return element;