diff --git a/usr.bin/join/join.c b/usr.bin/join/join.c
index 15d77ff0013..a3efd7e2a2c 100644
--- a/usr.bin/join/join.c
+++ b/usr.bin/join/join.c
@@ -352,9 +352,9 @@ cmp(lp1, fieldno1, lp2, fieldno2)
 	LINE *lp1, *lp2;
 	u_long fieldno1, fieldno2;
 {
-	if (lp1->fieldcnt < fieldno1)
+	if (lp1->fieldcnt <= fieldno1)
 		return (lp2->fieldcnt < fieldno2 ? 0 : 1);
-	if (lp2->fieldcnt < fieldno2)
+	if (lp2->fieldcnt <= fieldno2)
 		return (-1);
 	return (strcmp(lp1->fields[fieldno1], lp2->fields[fieldno2]));
 }
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ outfield(lp, fieldno, out_empty)
 	if (needsep++)
 		(void)printf("%c", *tabchar);
 	if (!ferror(stdout))
-		if (lp->fieldcnt < fieldno || out_empty) {
+		if (lp->fieldcnt <= fieldno || out_empty) {
 			if (empty != NULL)
 				(void)printf("%s", empty);
 		} else {