diff --git a/workflow/rna-seq.nf b/workflow/rna-seq.nf
index ad2a7ba494d536a32f872930c59950804e42aa7c..d79e7ccc5d27ade8bfc3bbc3f2067f6e8edf1974 100644
--- a/workflow/rna-seq.nf
+++ b/workflow/rna-seq.nf
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ process parseMetadata {
     if [ "${strandedForce}" != "" ]
     then
       stranded=${strandedForce}
-      echo -e "LOG: spike-in metadata forced: \${spike}" >> ${repRID}.parseMetadata.log
+      echo -e "LOG: spike-in metadata forced: \${stranded}" >> ${repRID}.parseMetadata.log
     fi
 
     # get spike-in metadata