diff --git a/configs/common/Options.py b/configs/common/Options.py
index c48bfe64e6..b833531f4e 100644
--- a/configs/common/Options.py
+++ b/configs/common/Options.py
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ def addCommonOptions(parser):
     parser.add_option("--take-simpoint-checkpoints", action="store", type="string",
         help="<simpoint file,weight file,interval-length,warmup-length>")
     parser.add_option("--restore-simpoint-checkpoint", action="store_true",
+        default=False,
         help="restore from a simpoint checkpoint taken with " +
              "--take-simpoint-checkpoints")
 
diff --git a/configs/common/Simulation.py b/configs/common/Simulation.py
index 067bc01da0..3b9efc0c93 100644
--- a/configs/common/Simulation.py
+++ b/configs/common/Simulation.py
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ def run(options, root, testsys, cpu_class):
         takeSimpointCheckpoints(simpoints, interval_length, cptdir)
 
     # Restore from SimPoint checkpoints
-    elif options.restore_simpoint_checkpoint != None:
+    elif options.restore_simpoint_checkpoint:
         restoreSimpointCheckpoint()
 
     else: