diff --git a/libraries/chain/authorization_manager.cpp b/libraries/chain/authorization_manager.cpp
index 6f3e598d19..9cb4580a0c 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/authorization_manager.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/authorization_manager.cpp
@@ -559,8 +559,8 @@ namespace eosio { namespace chain {
 
       }
 
-      if( !allow_unused_keys  || check_but_dont_fail) {
-         EOS_ASSERT( checker.all_keys_used(), tx_irrelevant_sig,
+      if( !allow_unused_keys ) {
+         EOS_ASSERT( checker.all_keys_used() || check_but_dont_fail, tx_irrelevant_sig,
                      "transaction bears irrelevant signatures from these keys: ${keys}",
                      ("keys", checker.unused_keys()) );
       }