diff --git a/capture_loop.c b/capture_loop.c
index 5957ec2f51..0d62461e67 100644
--- a/capture_loop.c
+++ b/capture_loop.c
@@ -1112,14 +1112,6 @@ capture_loop_start(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *stats_known, struct
   ld.packet_cb          = capture_loop_packet_cb;
 
 
-  /*
-   * Some older Linux versions of libpcap don't work right without
-   * a capture filter; if none was specified, use an empty string.
-   * (Yes, that's a libpcap bug, and has been fixed for a while.)
-   */
-  if (capture_opts->cfilter == NULL)
-    capture_opts->cfilter = g_strdup("");
-
   /* We haven't yet gotten the capture statistics. */
   *stats_known      = FALSE;
 
diff --git a/capture_opts.c b/capture_opts.c
index 28d9488f99..70bccc2d6f 100644
--- a/capture_opts.c
+++ b/capture_opts.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void
 capture_opts_init(capture_options *capture_opts, void *cfile)
 {
   capture_opts->cf                      = cfile;            
-  capture_opts->cfilter                 = NULL;             /* No capture filter string specified */
+  capture_opts->cfilter                 = g_strdup("");     /* No capture filter string specified */
   capture_opts->iface                   = NULL;             /* Default is "pick the first interface" */
 #ifdef _WIN32
   capture_opts->buffer_size             = 1;                /* 1 MB */
@@ -325,10 +325,11 @@ capture_opts_add_opt(capture_options *capture_opts, int opt, const char *optarg,
         capture_opts->autostop_packets = get_positive_int(optarg, "packet count");
         break;
     case 'f':        /* capture filter */
-        if (capture_opts->cfilter) {
+        if (capture_opts->has_cfilter) {
             cmdarg_err("More than one -f argument specified");
             return 1;
         }
+        capture_opts->has_cfilter = TRUE;
         capture_opts->cfilter = g_strdup(optarg);
         break;
     case 'H':        /* Hide capture info dialog box */
diff --git a/capture_opts.h b/capture_opts.h
index 3f88ebe791..ed797e6ea7 100644
--- a/capture_opts.h
+++ b/capture_opts.h
@@ -44,58 +44,59 @@ typedef enum {
 /** Capture options coming from user interface */
 typedef struct capture_options_tag {
     /* general */
-    void     *cf;           /**< handle to cfile (note: untyped handle) */
-    gchar    *cfilter;      /**< Capture filter string */
-    gchar    *iface;        /**< the network interface to capture from */
+    void     *cf;                   /**< handle to cfile (note: untyped handle) */
+    gboolean has_cfilter;           /**< TRUE if capture filter specified on command line */
+    gchar    *cfilter;              /**< Capture filter string */
+    gchar    *iface;                /**< the network interface to capture from */
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
-    int      buffer_size;   /**< the capture buffer size (MB) */
+    int      buffer_size;           /**< the capture buffer size (MB) */
 #endif
-    gboolean has_snaplen;   /**< TRUE if maximum capture packet length
-                                 is specified */
-    int      snaplen;       /**< Maximum captured packet length */
-    gboolean promisc_mode;  /**< Capture in promiscuous mode */
-    int      linktype;      /**< Data link type to use, or -1 for
-                                 "use default" */
-    gboolean saving_to_file; /**< TRUE if capture is writing to a file */
-    gchar    *save_file;    /**< the capture file name */
+    gboolean has_snaplen;           /**< TRUE if maximum capture packet length
+                                         is specified */
+    int      snaplen;               /**< Maximum captured packet length */
+    gboolean promisc_mode;          /**< Capture in promiscuous mode */
+    int      linktype;              /**< Data link type to use, or -1 for
+                                         "use default" */
+    gboolean saving_to_file;        /**< TRUE if capture is writing to a file */
+    gchar    *save_file;            /**< the capture file name */
 
     /* GUI related */
-    gboolean real_time_mode;    /**< Update list of packets in real time */
-    gboolean show_info;         /**< show the info dialog */
-    gboolean quit_after_cap;    /** Makes a "capture only mode". Implies -k */
-    gboolean restart;           /**< restart after closing is done */
+    gboolean real_time_mode;        /**< Update list of packets in real time */
+    gboolean show_info;             /**< show the info dialog */
+    gboolean quit_after_cap;        /**< Makes a "capture only mode". Implies -k */
+    gboolean restart;               /**< restart after closing is done */
 
     /* multiple files (and ringbuffer) */
-    gboolean multi_files_on;    /**< TRUE if ring buffer in use */
+    gboolean multi_files_on;        /**< TRUE if ring buffer in use */
 
-    gboolean has_file_duration;    /**< TRUE if ring duration specified */
-    gint32 file_duration;       /* Switch file after n seconds */
-    gboolean has_ring_num_files;/**< TRUE if ring num_files specified */
-    guint32 ring_num_files;     /**< Number of multiple buffer files */
+    gboolean has_file_duration;     /**< TRUE if ring duration specified */
+    gint32 file_duration;           /**< Switch file after n seconds */
+    gboolean has_ring_num_files;    /**< TRUE if ring num_files specified */
+    guint32 ring_num_files;         /**< Number of multiple buffer files */
 
     /* autostop conditions */
-    gboolean has_autostop_files;/**< TRUE if maximum number of capture files
-                       are specified */
-    gint32 autostop_files;      /**< Maximum number of capture files */
+    gboolean has_autostop_files;    /**< TRUE if maximum number of capture files
+                                         are specified */
+    gint32 autostop_files;          /**< Maximum number of capture files */
 
-    gboolean has_autostop_packets;    /**< TRUE if maximum packet count is
-                       specified */
-    int autostop_packets;               /**< Maximum packet count */
-    gboolean has_autostop_filesize;     /**< TRUE if maximum capture file size
-                                             is specified */
-    gint32 autostop_filesize;           /**< Maximum capture file size */
-    gboolean has_autostop_duration;     /**< TRUE if maximum capture duration
-                                             is specified */
-    gint32 autostop_duration;           /**< Maximum capture duration */
+    gboolean has_autostop_packets;  /**< TRUE if maximum packet count is
+                                         specified */
+    int autostop_packets;           /**< Maximum packet count */
+    gboolean has_autostop_filesize; /**< TRUE if maximum capture file size
+                                         is specified */
+    gint32 autostop_filesize;       /**< Maximum capture file size */
+    gboolean has_autostop_duration; /**< TRUE if maximum capture duration
+                                         is specified */
+    gint32 autostop_duration;       /**< Maximum capture duration */
 
     /* internally used (don't touch from outside) */
-    int fork_child;                  /**< If not -1, in parent, process ID of child */
+    int fork_child;                 /**< If not -1, in parent, process ID of child */
 #ifdef _WIN32
-    int signal_pipe_write_fd;   /**< the pipe to signal the child */
+    int signal_pipe_write_fd;       /**< the pipe to signal the child */
 #endif
-    capture_state state;        /**< current state of the capture engine */
-    gboolean output_to_pipe;    /**< save_file is a pipe (named or stdout) */
+    capture_state state;            /**< current state of the capture engine */
+    gboolean output_to_pipe;        /**< save_file is a pipe (named or stdout) */
 } capture_options;
 
 
diff --git a/gtk/main.c b/gtk/main.c
index 5849411eb8..81de778d00 100644
--- a/gtk/main.c
+++ b/gtk/main.c
@@ -2880,10 +2880,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     /* if the user didn't supplied a capture filter, use the one to filter out remote connections like SSH */
-    if (!start_capture && (capture_opts->cfilter == NULL || strlen(capture_opts->cfilter) == 0)) {
-      if (capture_opts->cfilter) {
-        g_free(capture_opts->cfilter);
-      }
+    if (!start_capture && strlen(capture_opts->cfilter) == 0) {
+      g_free(capture_opts->cfilter);
       capture_opts->cfilter = g_strdup(get_conn_cfilter());
     }
 #else /* HAVE_LIBPCAP */
diff --git a/tshark.c b/tshark.c
index ddb5bce457..cb86cd11ac 100644
--- a/tshark.c
+++ b/tshark.c
@@ -1103,11 +1103,12 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
       rfilter = get_args_as_string(argc, argv, optind);
     } else {
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBPCAP
-      if (capture_opts.cfilter != NULL) {
+      if (capture_opts.has_cfilter) {
         cmdarg_err("Capture filters were specified both with \"-f\""
             " and with additional command-line arguments");
         exit(1);
       }
+      capture_opts.has_cfilter = TRUE;
       capture_opts.cfilter = get_args_as_string(argc, argv, optind);
 #else
       capture_option_specified = TRUE;
@@ -1147,7 +1148,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
      support in capture files we read). */
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBPCAP
   if (cf_name != NULL) {
-    if (capture_opts.cfilter != NULL) {
+    if (capture_opts.has_cfilter) {
       cmdarg_err("Only read filters, not capture filters, "
           "can be specified when reading a capture file.");
       exit(1);
@@ -1561,14 +1562,6 @@ capture(void)
    */
   relinquish_special_privs_perm();
 
-  /*
-   * Some older Linux versions of libpcap don't work right without
-   * a capture filter; if none was specified, use an empty string.
-   * (Yes, that's a libpcap bug, and has been fixed for a while.)
-   */
-  if (capture_opts.cfilter == NULL)
-    capture_opts.cfilter = g_strdup("");
-
   /* init the input filter from the network interface (capture pipe will do nothing) */
   switch (capture_loop_init_filter(ld.pcap_h, ld.from_cap_pipe, capture_opts.iface, capture_opts.cfilter)) {