--- a/src/lib/Libattr/req.cpp	2017-01-24 18:35:27.000000000 -0500
+++ b/src/lib/Libattr/req.cpp	2017-11-21 13:40:27.201964749 -0500
@@ -1037,17 +1037,17 @@
     error = "Bad tasks value: '";
     error += submission_str;
     error += "'";
     return(PBSE_BAD_PARAMETER);
     }
 
   if (*current == ':')
     current++;
-  else if (current != '\0')
+  else if (*current != '\0')
     {
     error = "Invalid task specification";
     return(PBSE_BAD_PARAMETER);
     }
 
   while ((current != NULL) && 
          (*current != '\0'))
     {