diff --git a/include/linux/percpu_counter.h b/include/linux/percpu_counter.h
index 46f6ba56fa9139909c04acbad98383b7ed88babb..5edc9014263aca9e10cfda70dc4c5e3e8a94f8bb 100644
--- a/include/linux/percpu_counter.h
+++ b/include/linux/percpu_counter.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static inline s64 percpu_counter_read_positive(struct percpu_counter *fbc)
 	barrier();		/* Prevent reloads of fbc->count */
 	if (ret >= 0)
 		return ret;
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static inline int percpu_counter_initialized(struct percpu_counter *fbc)
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ static inline s64 percpu_counter_read(struct percpu_counter *fbc)
 	return fbc->count;
 }
 
+/*
+ * percpu_counter is intended to track positive numbers. In the UP case the
+ * number should never be negative.
+ */
 static inline s64 percpu_counter_read_positive(struct percpu_counter *fbc)
 {
 	return fbc->count;