diff --git a/yt_dlp/downloader/common.py b/yt_dlp/downloader/common.py
index 038e32f95..500d7a49e 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/downloader/common.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/downloader/common.py
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
         """
 
         nooverwrites_and_exists = (
-            not self.params.get('overwrites', subtitle)
+            not self.params.get('overwrites', True)
             and os.path.exists(encodeFilename(filename))
         )