diff --git a/drivers/net/atarilance.c b/drivers/net/atarilance.c
index c5721cb3826598e6f3fb143a0097325910c55311..cc9ed8643910e3869ebdbcc05deddd42c0ba9c57 100644
--- a/drivers/net/atarilance.c
+++ b/drivers/net/atarilance.c
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ static int lance_open( struct net_device *dev )
 	while (--i > 0)
 		if (DREG & CSR0_IDON)
 			break;
-	if (i < 0 || (DREG & CSR0_ERR)) {
+	if (i <= 0 || (DREG & CSR0_ERR)) {
 		DPRINTK( 2, ( "lance_open(): opening %s failed, i=%d, csr0=%04x\n",
 					  dev->name, i, DREG ));
 		DREG = CSR0_STOP;