diff --git a/syntax_checkers/c/checkpatch.vim b/syntax_checkers/c/checkpatch.vim
index ade875f0..90745ef7 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/c/checkpatch.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/c/checkpatch.vim
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ elseif executable("./scripts/checkpatch.pl")
 endif
 
 function SyntaxCheckers_c_checkpatch_IsAvailable()
-    exists("g:syntastic_c_checker_checkpatch_location")
+    return exists("g:syntastic_c_checker_checkpatch_location")
 endfunction