diff --git a/php_phongo.c b/php_phongo.c
index a19c0a9e..952ac51f 100644
--- a/php_phongo.c
+++ b/php_phongo.c
@@ -1408,7 +1408,7 @@ void php_phongo_write_concern_to_zval(zval *retval, const mongoc_write_concern_t
 	ADD_ASSOC_BOOL_EX(retval, "wmajority", mongoc_write_concern_get_wmajority(write_concern));
 	ADD_ASSOC_LONG_EX(retval, "wtimeout", mongoc_write_concern_get_wtimeout(write_concern));
 
-	if (write_concern->journal != MONGOC_WRITE_CONCERN_JOURNAL_DEFAULT) {
+	if (mongoc_write_concern_journal_is_set(write_concern)) {
 		ADD_ASSOC_BOOL_EX(retval, "journal", mongoc_write_concern_get_journal(write_concern));
 	} else {
 		ADD_ASSOC_NULL_EX(retval, "journal");
diff --git a/src/MongoDB/WriteConcern.c b/src/MongoDB/WriteConcern.c
index 64f2cac6..e89ed4c9 100644
--- a/src/MongoDB/WriteConcern.c
+++ b/src/MongoDB/WriteConcern.c
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(WriteConcern, getJournal)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (intern->write_concern->journal != MONGOC_WRITE_CONCERN_JOURNAL_DEFAULT) {
+	if (mongoc_write_concern_journal_is_set(intern->write_concern)) {
 		RETURN_BOOL(mongoc_write_concern_get_journal(intern->write_concern));
 	}