diff --git a/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree2buf_base.hpp b/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree2buf_base.hpp
index b23cc58905e..522ddfe42af 100644
--- a/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree2buf_base.hpp
+++ b/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree2buf_base.hpp
@@ -548,7 +548,8 @@ namespace pcl
 
       // XOR of current and previous occupancy bit patterns
       node_XOR_bit_pattern = branch_bit_pattern_curr_buffer ^ branch_bit_pattern_prev_buffer;
-      if (do_XOR_encoding_arg)
+
+      if (binary_tree_out_arg)
       {
         if (do_XOR_encoding_arg)
         {