diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-relay-downstream.c b/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-relay-downstream.c
index 5c3311d979..eca140a92c 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-relay-downstream.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-relay-downstream.c
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ int downstream_process_message(
 
         /* RFC 1542 section 4.1.1:
          * The relay agent MUST silently discard BOOTREQUEST messages whose 'hops' field exceeds the value 16. */
-        if (message->header.hops >= 16)
+        if (message->header.hops > 16)
                 return 0;
         message->header.hops++;
 
diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-relay.c b/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-relay.c
index 2a7131e59b..74ccbb9dc9 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-relay.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-relay.c
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ TEST(forwarding) {
 
         /* Invalid message (too large hops). */
         ASSERT_OK(dhcp_message_append_option_u8(m, SD_DHCP_OPTION_MESSAGE_TYPE, 101));
-        m->header.hops = 16;
+        m->header.hops = 17;
         send_message(downstream_fd[1], m);
         dhcp_message_remove_option(m, SD_DHCP_OPTION_MESSAGE_TYPE);
         m->header.hops = 0;