diff --git a/fs/smb/client/file.c b/fs/smb/client/file.c
index 5a25635bc62a..6a4aa57d58c3 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/file.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/file.c
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ static void cifs_rreq_done(struct netfs_io_request *rreq)
 	/* we do not want atime to be less than mtime, it broke some apps */
 	atime = inode_set_atime_to_ts(inode, current_time(inode));
 	mtime = inode_get_mtime(inode);
-	if (timespec64_compare(&atime, &mtime))
+	if (timespec64_compare(&atime, &mtime) < 0)
 		inode_set_atime_to_ts(inode, inode_get_mtime(inode));
 }