diff --git a/src/test/test-procfs-util.c b/src/test/test-procfs-util.c
index 7c3aa21d65..5427e1bec3 100644
--- a/src/test/test-procfs-util.c
+++ b/src/test/test-procfs-util.c
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
         pid_max = TASKS_MAX;
         r = procfs_get_pid_max(&pid_max);
-        if (r == -ENOENT || ERRNO_IS_PRIVILEGE(r))
+        if (r == -ENOENT || (r < 0 && ERRNO_IS_PRIVILEGE(r)))
                 return log_tests_skipped_errno(r, "can't get pid max");
         assert(r >= 0);
         log_info("kernel.pid_max: %"PRIu64, pid_max);
 
         threads_max = TASKS_MAX;
         r = procfs_get_threads_max(&threads_max);
-        if (r == -ENOENT || ERRNO_IS_PRIVILEGE(r))
+        if (r == -ENOENT || (r < 0 && ERRNO_IS_PRIVILEGE(r)))
                 return log_tests_skipped_errno(r, "can't get threads max");
         assert(r >= 0);
         log_info("kernel.threads-max: %"PRIu64, threads_max);