diff --git a/tools/power/x86/x86_energy_perf_policy/x86_energy_perf_policy.c b/tools/power/x86/x86_energy_perf_policy/x86_energy_perf_policy.c
index 33de17efb4df..a6b918fff5e4 100644
--- a/tools/power/x86/x86_energy_perf_policy/x86_energy_perf_policy.c
+++ b/tools/power/x86/x86_energy_perf_policy/x86_energy_perf_policy.c
@@ -337,22 +337,22 @@ long parse_optarg_string(char *s)
 	long i;
 	char *endptr;
 
-	if (!strncmp(s, "default", 7))
+	if (strcmp(s, "default") == 0)
 		return OPTARG_NORMAL;
 
-	if (!strncmp(s, "normal", 6))
+	if (strcmp(s, "normal") == 0)
 		return OPTARG_NORMAL;
 
-	if (!strncmp(s, "power", 9))
+	if (strcmp(s, "power") == 0)
 		return OPTARG_POWER;
 
-	if (!strncmp(s, "balance-power", 17))
+	if (strcmp(s, "balance-power") == 0)
 		return OPTARG_BALANCE_POWER;
 
-	if (!strncmp(s, "balance-performance", 19))
+	if (strcmp(s, "balance-performance") == 0)
 		return OPTARG_BALANCE_PERFORMANCE;
 
-	if (!strncmp(s, "performance", 11))
+	if (strcmp(s, "performance") == 0)
 		return OPTARG_PERFORMANCE;
 
 	errno = 0;