diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el
index 1990630608d..3613c8d88ec 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/lisp-mode.el
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ lisp-ppss
 2 (counting from 0).  This is important for Lisp indentation."
   (unless pos (setq pos (point)))
   (let ((pss (syntax-ppss pos)))
-    (if (and (not (nth 2 pss)) (nth 9 pss))
+    (if (nth 9 pss)
         (let ((sexp-start (car (last (nth 9 pss)))))
           (parse-partial-sexp sexp-start pos nil nil (syntax-ppss sexp-start)))
       pss)))