diff --git a/common/exechelp-w32.c b/common/exechelp-w32.c
index 0034e03f2..2093f0d8b 100644
--- a/common/exechelp-w32.c
+++ b/common/exechelp-w32.c
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ gnupg_spawn_process (const char *pgmname, const char *argv[],
     nullhd[1] = ((flags & GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDOUT)?
                  GetStdHandle (STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE) : w32_open_null (1));
   if (errpipe[1] == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
-    nullhd[2] = ((flags & GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDOUT)?
+    nullhd[2] = ((flags & GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDERR)?
                  GetStdHandle (STD_ERROR_HANDLE) : w32_open_null (1));
 
   memset (&si, 0, sizeof si);