diff --git a/libavcodec/alac.c b/libavcodec/alac.c
index 5ae2e00f47..2943b4dc51 100644
--- a/libavcodec/alac.c
+++ b/libavcodec/alac.c
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ static int alac_decode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx,
             int i;
             for (i = 0; i < outputsamples; i++) {
                 int16_t sample = alac->outputsamples_buffer_a[i];
-                be2me_16(sample);
+                sample = be2me_16(sample);
                 ((int16_t*)outbuffer)[i * alac->numchannels] = sample;
             }
             break;