diff --git a/src/util.cc b/src/util.cc
index 700d3379e4..9a2b83c7bf 100644
--- a/src/util.cc
+++ b/src/util.cc
@@ -2425,8 +2425,7 @@ static bool check_ok_utf8(const unsigned char* start, const unsigned char* end)
 	if ( result != conversionOK )
 		return false;
 
-	if ( ( output[0] >= 0x0000 && output[0] <= 0x001F ) ||
-	     ( output[0] == 0x007F ) ||
+	if ( ( output[0] <= 0x001F ) || ( output[0] == 0x007F ) ||
 	     ( output[0] >= 0x0080 && output[0] <= 0x009F ) )
 		// Control characters
 		return false;