diff --git a/src/map.cpp b/src/map.cpp
index 742b3223447..24461454b22 100644
--- a/src/map.cpp
+++ b/src/map.cpp
@@ -593,9 +593,8 @@ bool gamemap::terrain_matches_filter(const gamemap::location& loc, const config&
 	}
 */	
 #ifdef TERRAIN_TRANSLATION_COMPATIBLE
-	if(terrain_format == 0 || terrain_format == -1) {
+	if(terrain_format == 0 || terrain_format == -1 && !cfg["terrain"].empty()) {
 		std::cerr << "Warning deprecated terrain format in filter_location \n";
-
 		const std::string& terrain = cfg["terrain"];
 		// Any of these may be a CSV
 		std::string terrain_letter;