}
 }
 
-static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_stdout,
+static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_separate_file,
                              struct commit *origin,
                              int nr, struct commit **list,
                              const char *branch_name,
 
        committer = git_committer_info(0);
 
-       if (!use_stdout &&
+       if (use_separate_file &&
            open_next_file(NULL, rev->numbered_files ? NULL : "cover-letter", rev, quiet))
                die(_("failed to create cover-letter file"));
 
        if (cover_letter) {
                if (thread)
                        gen_message_id(&rev, "cover");
-               make_cover_letter(&rev, use_stdout,
+               make_cover_letter(&rev, !!output_directory,
                                  origin, nr, list, branch_name, quiet);
                print_bases(&bases, rev.diffopt.file);
                print_signature(rev.diffopt.file);
                        gen_message_id(&rev, oid_to_hex(&commit->object.oid));
                }
 
-               if (!use_stdout &&
+               if (output_directory &&
                    open_next_file(rev.numbered_files ? NULL : commit, NULL, &rev, quiet))
                        die(_("failed to create output files"));
                shown = log_tree_commit(&rev, commit);
                 * the log; when using one file per patch, we do
                 * not want the extra blank line.
                 */
-               if (!use_stdout)
+               if (output_directory)
                        rev.shown_one = 0;
                if (shown) {
                        print_bases(&bases, rev.diffopt.file);
                        else
                                print_signature(rev.diffopt.file);
                }
-               if (!use_stdout)
+               if (output_directory)
                        fclose(rev.diffopt.file);
        }
        stop_progress(&progress);