diff --git a/app/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller.rb b/app/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller.rb
index 9addcdf3f91..3e0cfc6aa65 100644
--- a/app/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/projects/merge_requests_controller.rb
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ class Projects::MergeRequestsController < Projects::ApplicationController
       end
     end
 
-    status = "preparing" if status == nil
+    status = "preparing" if status.nil?
 
     response = {
       title: merge_request.title,