diff --git a/servers/slapd/schema_init.c b/servers/slapd/schema_init.c
index 51db9b7247..b40b742ea5 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/schema_init.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/schema_init.c
@@ -1611,7 +1611,7 @@ numericStringNormalize(
 
 	assert( *newval->bv_val );
 	assert( newval->bv_val < p );
-	assert( p <= q );
+	assert( q <= p );
 
 	/* cannot start with a space */
 	assert( !ASCII_SPACE(*newval->bv_val) );