diff --git a/lib/compress/zstd_compress.c b/lib/compress/zstd_compress.c
index 4866c2f06..cbf66566e 100644
--- a/lib/compress/zstd_compress.c
+++ b/lib/compress/zstd_compress.c
@@ -540,9 +540,10 @@ size_t ZSTD_CCtxParams_setParameter(ZSTD_CCtx_params* CCtxParams,
 
     case ZSTD_c_compressionLevel : {
         FORWARD_IF_ERROR(ZSTD_cParam_clampBounds(param, &value), "");
-        if (value) {  /* 0 : does not change current level */
+        if (value == 0)
+            CCtxParams->compressionLevel = ZSTD_CLEVEL_DEFAULT; /* 0 == default */
+        else
             CCtxParams->compressionLevel = value;
-        }
         if (CCtxParams->compressionLevel >= 0) return (size_t)CCtxParams->compressionLevel;
         return 0;  /* return type (size_t) cannot represent negative values */
     }