diff --git a/arch/powerpc/boot/treeboot-akebono.c b/arch/powerpc/boot/treeboot-akebono.c
index e3cc2599869c..1b529037480f 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/boot/treeboot-akebono.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/boot/treeboot-akebono.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ void platform_init(char *userdata)
 
 	node = fdt_node_offset_by_prop_value(_dtb_start, -1, "device_type",
 					     "cpu", sizeof("cpu"));
-	if (!node)
+	if (node < 0)
 		fatal("Cannot find cpu node\n");
 	timebase = fdt_getprop(_dtb_start, node, "timebase-frequency", &size);
 	if (timebase && (size == 4))