diff --git a/src/AutoRecovery.cpp b/src/AutoRecovery.cpp
index 3181845d8..7ac329584 100644
--- a/src/AutoRecovery.cpp
+++ b/src/AutoRecovery.cpp
@@ -220,9 +220,7 @@ static bool RecoverAllProjects(AudacityProject** pproj)
 bool ShowAutoRecoveryDialogIfNeeded(AudacityProject** pproj,
                                     bool *didRecoverAnything)
 {
-   if (didRecoverAnything)
-      *didRecoverAnything = false;
-
+   *didRecoverAnything = false;
    if (HaveFilesToRecover())
    {
       AutoRecoveryDialog dlg(*pproj);
diff --git a/src/AutoRecovery.h b/src/AutoRecovery.h
index c940418d9..47dc83ee5 100644
--- a/src/AutoRecovery.h
+++ b/src/AutoRecovery.h
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 // Returns: True, if the start of Audacity should continue as normal
 //          False if Audacity should be quit immediately
 //
+// The didRecoverAnything param is strictly for a return value. 
+// Any value passed in is ignored.
+// 
 bool ShowAutoRecoveryDialogIfNeeded(AudacityProject** pproj,
                                     bool *didRecoverAnything);