diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/nolibc/nolibc-test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/nolibc/nolibc-test.c
index 801b2ad18853..7588212df124 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/nolibc/nolibc-test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/nolibc/nolibc-test.c
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ static int expect_vfprintf(int llen, int c, const char *expected, const char *fm
 	}
 
 	llen += printf(" \"%s\" = \"%s\"", expected, buf);
-	ret = strncmp(expected, buf, c);
+	ret = strncmp(expected, buf, c) != 0;
 
 	result(llen, ret ? FAIL : OK);
 	return ret;