diff --git a/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/Tagged.java b/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/Tagged.java
index 1e6da6a2b30..661c9a43d68 100644
--- a/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/Tagged.java
+++ b/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/Tagged.java
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ default boolean hasTagDifferent(String key, String... values) {
                 return false;
             }
         }
-        return true;
+        return actual != null;
     }
 
     /**