diff --git a/sys/kern/sys_capability.c b/sys/kern/sys_capability.c
index 300f02810d21..8442433aa71c 100644
--- a/sys/kern/sys_capability.c
+++ b/sys/kern/sys_capability.c
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ cap_ioctl_check(struct filedesc *fdp, int fd, u_long cmd)
 		("%s: invalid fd=%d", __func__, fd));
 
 	fdep = fdeget_locked(fdp, fd);
-	KASSERT(fdep == NULL,
+	KASSERT(fdep != NULL,
 	    ("%s: invalid fd=%d", __func__, fd));
 
 	ncmds = fdep->fde_nioctls;