diff --git a/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx b/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
index c2b756d..7690bb8 100644
--- a/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
+++ b/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
@@ -276,11 +276,11 @@ def open_uri(uri,
             iseq = urib
             objclass = bytes
     else:  # TODO update uopen to be able to write? 
-        if urip.path == b'-':
+        if not urip.path or urip.path == b'-':
             file = sys.stdout.buffer
-        elif urip.path :
+        else:
             file = open(urip.path, 'wb')
-        
+
     if file is not None:
         qualifiers=parse_qs(urip.query)