diff --git a/src/sampling/cuttingPlane/cuttingPlane.C b/src/sampling/cuttingPlane/cuttingPlane.C
index 7aa6d8053..43d8b1d1c 100644
--- a/src/sampling/cuttingPlane/cuttingPlane.C
+++ b/src/sampling/cuttingPlane/cuttingPlane.C
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void Foam::cuttingPlane::calcCutCells
     const edgeList& edges = mesh.edges();
 
     label listSize = cellEdges.size();
-    if (&cellIdLabels)
+    if (!cellIdLabels.empty())
     {
         listSize = cellIdLabels.size();
     }
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ void Foam::cuttingPlane::calcCutCells
     for (label listI = 0; listI < listSize; ++listI)
     {
         label cellI = listI;
-        if (&cellIdLabels)
+        if (!cellIdLabels.empty())
         {
             cellI = cellIdLabels[listI];
         }
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ void Foam::cuttingPlane::remapFaces
 )
 {
     // recalculate the cells cut
-    if (&faceMap && faceMap.size())
+    if (!faceMap.empty())
     {
         MeshStorage::remapFaces(faceMap);