diff --git a/lib/eal/include/rte_bitmap.h b/lib/eal/include/rte_bitmap.h
index 9e2b8f2cbfa..e4623bb176e 100644
--- a/lib/eal/include/rte_bitmap.h
+++ b/lib/eal/include/rte_bitmap.h
@@ -185,9 +185,8 @@ rte_bitmap_init(uint32_t n_bits, uint8_t *mem, uint32_t mem_size)
 	size = __rte_bitmap_get_memory_footprint(n_bits,
 		&array1_byte_offset, &array1_slabs,
 		&array2_byte_offset, &array2_slabs);
-	if (size < mem_size) {
+	if (size > mem_size)
 		return NULL;
-	}
 
 	/* Setup bitmap */
 	memset(mem, 0, size);