diff --git a/server/file.c b/server/file.c
index f0cd310a479..fc6329ab78e 100644
--- a/server/file.c
+++ b/server/file.c
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ static int set_file_pointer( handle_t handle, unsigned int *low, int *high, int
 
         /* also check EPERM due to SuSE7 2.2.16 lseek() EPERM kernel bug */
         if (((errno == EINVAL) || (errno == EPERM))
-            && (whence != SEEK_SET) && (*low < 0))
+            && (whence != SEEK_SET) && (*high < 0))
             set_error( 0xc0010000 | ERROR_NEGATIVE_SEEK /* FIXME */ );
         else
             file_set_error();