diff --git a/src/tiff_reader.cpp b/src/tiff_reader.cpp
index e58faf14a..157e4d0cb 100644
--- a/src/tiff_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/tiff_reader.cpp
@@ -213,8 +213,7 @@ tiff_reader<T>::tiff_reader(std::string const& filename)
       is_tiled_(false)
 {
     source_.open(filename, std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
-    if (!source_.is_open()) throw image_reader_exception("TIFF reader: cannot open file "+ filename);
-    if (!stream_)  throw image_reader_exception("TIFF reader: cannot open file "+ filename);
+    if (!stream_) throw image_reader_exception("TIFF reader: cannot open file "+ filename);
     init();
 }