diff --git a/src/libflate/deflate.c b/src/libflate/deflate.c
index 3a55af3..6f01778 100644
--- a/src/libflate/deflate.c
+++ b/src/libflate/deflate.c
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@
 	if(n && lz->w){
 		nw = (*lz->w)(lz->wr, buf, n);
 		if(nw != n){
-			lz->w = nil;
+			lz->w = 0;
 			lz->wbad = 1;
 		}else
 			lz->totw += n;