diff --git a/drivers/tty/n_tty.c b/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
index 118569f060377130cb7b55a31eabfb4c7c71c779..834fb60f4637faca59c40a21d6af6b27b906f500 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ static size_t __process_echoes(struct tty_struct *tty)
 	 * of echo overrun before the next commit), then discard enough
 	 * data at the tail to prevent a subsequent overrun */
 	while (ldata->echo_commit - tail >= ECHO_DISCARD_WATERMARK) {
-		if (echo_buf(ldata, tail == ECHO_OP_START)) {
+		if (echo_buf(ldata, tail) == ECHO_OP_START) {
 			if (echo_buf(ldata, tail) == ECHO_OP_ERASE_TAB)
 				tail += 3;
 			else