diff --git a/backward.hpp b/backward.hpp
index fde1d8f..06c9b3b 100644
--- a/backward.hpp
+++ b/backward.hpp
@@ -1995,7 +1995,7 @@ private:
 
     dwarf_file_t file_handle;
     file_handle.reset(open(filename_object.c_str(), O_RDONLY));
-    if (file_handle < 0) {
+    if (file_handle.get() < 0) {
       return r;
     }