diff --git a/applications/osgviewer/osgviewer.cpp b/applications/osgviewer/osgviewer.cpp
index 0bdcc3681..d868c3faa 100644
--- a/applications/osgviewer/osgviewer.cpp
+++ b/applications/osgviewer/osgviewer.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         while (arguments.read("-p",pathfile))
         {
             osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator* apm = new osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator(pathfile);
-            if (apm || !apm->valid())
+            if (apm && !apm->getAnimationPath()->empty())
             {
                 apm->setTimeScale(animationSpeed);
 
diff --git a/applications/present3D/present3D.cpp b/applications/present3D/present3D.cpp
index f5cb84cf7..ca2c5840e 100644
--- a/applications/present3D/present3D.cpp
+++ b/applications/present3D/present3D.cpp
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
         while (arguments.read("-p",pathfile))
         {
             osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator* apm = new osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator(pathfile);
-            if (apm || !apm->valid())
+            if (apm && !apm->getAnimationPath()->empty())
             {
                 unsigned int num = keyswitchManipulator->getNumMatrixManipulators();
                 keyswitchManipulator->addMatrixManipulator( keyForAnimationPath, "Path", apm );
diff --git a/examples/osgCMakeExample/main.cpp b/examples/osgCMakeExample/main.cpp
index d790d3873..e7592c8be 100644
--- a/examples/osgCMakeExample/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgCMakeExample/main.cpp
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         while (arguments.read("-p",pathfile))
         {
             osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator* apm = new osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator(pathfile);
-            if (apm || !apm->valid())
+            if (apm && !apm->getAnimationPath()->empty())
             {
                 apm->setTimeScale(animationSpeed);
 
diff --git a/examples/osgCMakeExampleModern/main.cpp b/examples/osgCMakeExampleModern/main.cpp
index d790d3873..e7592c8be 100644
--- a/examples/osgCMakeExampleModern/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgCMakeExampleModern/main.cpp
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         while (arguments.read("-p",pathfile))
         {
             osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator* apm = new osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator(pathfile);
-            if (apm || !apm->valid())
+            if (apm && !apm->getAnimationPath()->empty())
             {
                 apm->setTimeScale(animationSpeed);