diff --git a/phpBB/includes/session.php b/phpBB/includes/session.php
index 53d3bcb9cc..cb1f3bd8d0 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/session.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/session.php
@@ -1093,7 +1093,7 @@ class session
 			trigger_error($message);
 		}
 
-		return ($banned) ? true : false;
+		return ($banned && $ban_row['ban_give_reason']) ? $ban_row['ban_give_reason'] : $banned;
 	}
 
 	/**