diff --git a/src/taggingbackends/explorer.py b/src/taggingbackends/explorer.py
index b72563774d59095375e214ef59c25a2df08c3daa..40644c839ee66ecd13b5d5aeea409fd236224085 100644
--- a/src/taggingbackends/explorer.py
+++ b/src/taggingbackends/explorer.py
@@ -16,20 +16,20 @@ DISABLE_JULIA = os.environ.get('DISABLE_JULIA', '')
 try:
     from julia import Julia
 except:
-    if not isempty(DISABLE_JULIA):
+    if not DISABLE_JULIA:
         logging.warning(f"PyCall not found in JULIA_PROJECT={JULIA_PROJECT}; \
 please see https://gitlab.pasteur.fr/nyx/TaggingBackends#recommended-installation")
 else:
     try:
         Julia(compiled_modules=False)
     except:
-        if not isempty(DISABLE_JULIA):
+        if not DISABLE_JULIA:
             logging.warning("Failed to set PyCall with compiled_modules=False")
     try:
         from julia import TaggingBackends
         from julia import PlanarLarvae
     except:
-        if not isempty(DISABLE_JULIA):
+        if not DISABLE_JULIA:
             logging.warning(f"TaggingBackends not found in JULIA_PROJECT={JULIA_PROJECT}; \
 please see https://gitlab.pasteur.fr/nyx/TaggingBackends#recommended-installation")