diff --git a/sys/conf/newvers.sh b/sys/conf/newvers.sh
index f5e34b4946a5..5ce93567e3af 100644
--- a/sys/conf/newvers.sh
+++ b/sys/conf/newvers.sh
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ findvcs()
 
 git_tree_modified()
 {
-	$git_cmd "--work-tree=${VCSTOP}" -c core.checkStat=minimal -c core.fileMode=off diff --quiet
+	! $git_cmd "--work-tree=${VCSTOP}" -c core.checkStat=minimal -c core.fileMode=off diff --quiet
 }
 
 LC_ALL=C; export LC_ALL