diff --git a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/LoginController.js b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/LoginController.js
index f9fcab36bbf..ec4df79ad46 100644
--- a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/LoginController.js
+++ b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/LoginController.js
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@
       $scope.isShowLoginAsLink = gnGlobalSettings.isShowLoginAsLink;
       $scope.isUserProfileUpdateEnabled = gnGlobalSettings.isUserProfileUpdateEnabled;
 
-      $scope.passwordMinLength = Math.min(
+      // take the bigger of the two values
+      $scope.passwordMinLength = Math.max(
         gnConfig["system.security.passwordEnforcement.minLength"],
         6
       );
diff --git a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/admin/UserGroupController.js b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/admin/UserGroupController.js
index 6a944b46b4b..e294276698d 100644
--- a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/admin/UserGroupController.js
+++ b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/admin/UserGroupController.js
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@
       $scope.isLoadingGroups = false;
 
       gnConfigService.load().then(function (c) {
-        $scope.passwordMinLength = Math.min(
+        // take the bigger of the two values 
+        $scope.passwordMinLength = Math.max(
           gnConfig["system.security.passwordEnforcement.minLength"],
           6
         );