diff --git a/tests/codec_be_on_mr_nonselection/test_param_file.py b/tests/codec_be_on_mr_nonselection/test_param_file.py
index 13a49c3f329c706fdc00f7cd7759889da1a9c564..998e5e0a08bc4c2ab316988a653ec335bdd7ae03 100644
--- a/tests/codec_be_on_mr_nonselection/test_param_file.py
+++ b/tests/codec_be_on_mr_nonselection/test_param_file.py
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ def encode(
         ref_stats_file = None
         dut_stats_file = None
 
-    if update_ref in [1, 2] and not os.path.exists(ref_out_file):
+    if update_ref == 1 or (update_ref == 2 and not os.path.exists(ref_out_file)):
         check_and_makedir(ref_out_dir)
 
         # call REF encoder
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ def decode(
     dut_out_file = f"{dut_out_dir}/{output_file}"
     ref_out_file = f"{ref_out_dir}/{output_file}"
 
-    if update_ref == 1 or update_ref == 2 and not os.path.exists(ref_out_file):
+    if update_ref == 1 or (update_ref == 2 and not os.path.exists(ref_out_file)):
         check_and_makedir(ref_out_dir)
         add_option_list = dec_opts_list
         if tracefile_dec != "":