diff --git a/lisp/erc/erc-track.el b/lisp/erc/erc-track.el
index 7b9a2e9cd5b..2582a5039a6 100644
--- a/lisp/erc/erc-track.el
+++ b/lisp/erc/erc-track.el
@@ -818,18 +818,15 @@ is in `erc-mode'."
 		      (cons (cons (current-buffer)
 				  (cons
                                    1 (erc-track-select-mode-line-face
-                                      (car faces) (cdr faces))))
+                                      nil faces)))
 			    erc-modified-channels-alist))
 	      ;; Else modify the face for the buffer, if necessary.
 	      (when faces
 		(let* ((cell (assq (current-buffer)
 				   erc-modified-channels-alist))
 		       (old-face (cddr cell))
-		       (new-face (if old-face
-                                     (erc-track-select-mode-line-face
-                                      old-face faces)
-                                   (erc-track-select-mode-line-face
-                                    (car faces) (cdr faces)))))
+		       (new-face (erc-track-select-mode-line-face
+                                  old-face faces)))
 		  (setcdr cell (cons (1+ (cadr cell)) new-face)))))
 	    ;; And display it
 	    (erc-modified-channels-display)))