diff --git a/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_main.php b/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_main.php
index c133c4f574..ed604b9e3d 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_main.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_main.php
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class mcp_main
 					trigger_error('NO_TOPIC_SELECTED');
 				}
 
-				mcp_delete_topic($topic_ids, $soft_delete, ($soft_delete) ? $request->variable('delete_reason', '', true) : '');
+				mcp_delete_topic($topic_ids, $soft_delete, $request->variable('delete_reason', '', true));
 			break;
 
 			case 'delete_post':
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class mcp_main
 					trigger_error('NO_POST_SELECTED');
 				}
 
-				mcp_delete_post($post_ids, $soft_delete, ($soft_delete) ? $request->variable('delete_reason', '', true) : '');
+				mcp_delete_post($post_ids, $soft_delete, $request->variable('delete_reason', '', true));
 			break;
 
 			case 'restore_topic':