diff --git a/lib/php/src/Thrift.php b/lib/php/src/Thrift.php
index 8118e3b..5fa57f0 100644
--- a/lib/php/src/Thrift.php
+++ b/lib/php/src/Thrift.php
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
       $xfer += $output->writeString($this->getMessage());
       $xfer += $output->writeFieldEnd();
     }
-    if ($this->type !== null) {
+    if ($this->getCode()) {
       $xfer += $output->writeFieldBegin('type', TType::I32, 2);
       $xfer += $output->writeI32($this->getCode());
       $xfer += $output->writeFieldEnd();