diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
index 16358d05f..5fff8f609 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ class RodBindingArgumentTypeDescriptor extends ArgumentTypeDescriptor {
                     }
 
                     if ( tribbleType == null )
-                        if ( ! file.canRead() | !! file.isFile() ) {
+                        if ( ! file.canRead() | ! file.isFile() ) {
                             throw new UserException.BadArgumentValue(name, "Couldn't read file to determine type: " + file);
                         } else {
                             throw new UserException.CommandLineException(