diff --git a/packages/webui/src/queue-read.mjs b/packages/webui/src/queue-read.mjs
index ae7e4509..33872c00 100644
--- a/packages/webui/src/queue-read.mjs
+++ b/packages/webui/src/queue-read.mjs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ try {
   const r = rows({});
   process.stdout.write(`${JSON.stringify({ rows: r.rows, notes: r.err })}\n`);
 } catch (err) {
-  const refused = QueueError !== null && err instanceof QueueError;
+  const refused = err instanceof QueueError;
   process.stderr.write(`${refused ? err.message : 'the queue read failed'}\n`);
   process.exitCode = refused && Number.isInteger(err.code) && err.code > 0 ? err.code : 1;
 }