diff --git a/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py b/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
index c1b495e762..6b992b414c 100644
--- a/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
+++ b/care/facility/api/serializers/patient_consultation.py
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
                 )
 
             if (
-                suggestion == SuggestionChoices.A or patient_no is not None
+                suggestion == SuggestionChoices.A or patient_no
             ) and PatientConsultation.objects.filter(
                 patient_no=patient_no,
                 facility=(