diff --git a/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c b/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c
index 52eeee6e4ff..719251eede8 100644
--- a/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c
+++ b/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ static unsigned dde_connect(WCHAR* key, WCHAR* start, WCHAR* ddeexec,
     TRACE("%s %s => %s\n", debugstr_w(exec), debugstr_w(lpFile), debugstr_w(res));
 
     ret = (DdeClientTransaction((LPBYTE)res, (strlenW(res) + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR), hConv, 0L, 0,
-                                XTYP_EXECUTE, 10000, &tid) != DMLERR_NO_ERROR) ? 31 : 33;
+                                XTYP_EXECUTE, 10000, &tid) == 0) ? 31 : 33;
     DdeDisconnect(hConv);
 
  error: