diff --git a/lib/+artoa/+data/getMember.m b/lib/+artoa/+data/getMember.m
index fa984fd80618d7c1ae55ad67950210bbe5b6717a..fe33592b7c1c65e89ef81dda9ae919ab24ae7dd7 100644
--- a/lib/+artoa/+data/getMember.m
+++ b/lib/+artoa/+data/getMember.m
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function [memberValue] = getMember(pStructure, pMember, pDefaultValue)
 %                             member does not exist.
 
 %% Initialization
-if ~exist(pDefaultValue, 'var')
+if nargin ~= 3
     pDefaultValue = '';
 end