diff --git a/epan/dissectors/packet-redbackli.c b/epan/dissectors/packet-redbackli.c
index c3df5266f2..aaa1f14083 100644
--- a/epan/dissectors/packet-redbackli.c
+++ b/epan/dissectors/packet-redbackli.c
@@ -245,14 +245,17 @@ void proto_register_redbackli(void) {
 		{ &hf_redbackli_sessid,
 			{ "Session Id", "redbackli.sessid", FT_UINT32, BASE_DEC, NULL, 0x0,
 			"Session Identifier", HFILL }},
-		{ &hf_redbackli_dir,
 #if 0 /* XXX: If one goes by the heuristic then this field can be variable length ??
          In the absence of any documentation We'll assume that's the case
          (even though 'direction' sounds like a fixed length field */
+		{ &hf_redbackli_dir,
 			{ "Direction", "redbackli.dir", FT_UINT8, BASE_DEC, NULL, 0x0,
-#endif
+			NULL, HFILL }},
+#else
+		{ &hf_redbackli_dir,
 			{ "Direction", "redbackli.dir", FT_BYTES, BASE_NONE, NULL, 0x0,
 			NULL, HFILL }},
+#endif
 		{ &hf_redbackli_label,
 			{ "Label", "redbackli.label", FT_STRING, BASE_NONE, NULL, 0x0,
 			NULL, HFILL }},