diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Accounting.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Accounting.pm
index f1e2f0289..2ed5d8309 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Accounting.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Accounting.pm
@@ -159,9 +159,7 @@ sub process_accounting_rule( ) {
     $ports  = ''    if $ports  eq 'any' || $ports  eq 'all';
     $sports = ''    if $sports eq 'any' || $sports eq 'all';
 
-    if ( $asection ) {
-	fatal_error "USER/GROUP may only be specified in the OUTPUT section" unless $user eq '-' || $asection == OUTPUT; 
-    }
+    fatal_error "USER/GROUP may only be specified in the OUTPUT section" unless $user eq '-' || $asection == OUTPUT; 
 
     my $rule = do_proto( $proto, $ports, $sports ) . do_user ( $user ) . do_test ( $mark, $globals{TC_MASK} ) . do_headers( $headers );
     my $rule2 = 0;