diff --git a/kernel/acct.c b/kernel/acct.c
index 74963d192c5d..37f1dc696fbd 100644
--- a/kernel/acct.c
+++ b/kernel/acct.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static int check_free_space(struct bsd_acct_struct *acct)
 {
 	struct kstatfs sbuf;
 
-	if (time_is_before_jiffies(acct->needcheck))
+	if (time_is_after_jiffies(acct->needcheck))
 		goto out;
 
 	/* May block */