diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/blocktools.py b/test/functional/test_framework/blocktools.py
index 5c2fa28a31a..705b8e8fe5e 100644
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/blocktools.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/blocktools.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-# Copyright (c) 2015-2022 The Bitcoin Core developers
+# Copyright (c) 2015-present The Bitcoin Core developers
 # Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 # file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 """Utilities for manipulating blocks and transactions."""
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def create_block(hashprev=None, coinbase=None, ntime=None, *, version=None, tmpl
     block.nVersion = version or tmpl.get('version') or VERSIONBITS_LAST_OLD_BLOCK_VERSION
     block.nTime = ntime or tmpl.get('curtime') or int(time.time() + 600)
     block.hashPrevBlock = hashprev or int(tmpl['previousblockhash'], 0x10)
-    if tmpl and not tmpl.get('bits') is None:
+    if tmpl and tmpl.get('bits') is not None:
         block.nBits = struct.unpack('>I', bytes.fromhex(tmpl['bits']))[0]
     else:
         block.nBits = 0x207fffff  # difficulty retargeting is disabled in REGTEST chainparams