diff --git a/modules/es/fsw/src/cfe_es_generic_pool.c b/modules/es/fsw/src/cfe_es_generic_pool.c
index 7b31dde39..742c4da43 100644
--- a/modules/es/fsw/src/cfe_es_generic_pool.c
+++ b/modules/es/fsw/src/cfe_es_generic_pool.c
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ int32 CFE_ES_GenPoolRebuild(CFE_ES_GenPoolRecord_t *PoolRecPtr)
 bool CFE_ES_GenPoolValidateState(const CFE_ES_GenPoolRecord_t *PoolRecPtr)
 {
     return (PoolRecPtr->PoolTotalSize > 0 && PoolRecPtr->TailPosition <= PoolRecPtr->PoolMaxOffset &&
-            PoolRecPtr->NumBuckets > 0 && PoolRecPtr->NumBuckets < CFE_PLATFORM_ES_POOL_MAX_BUCKETS);
+            PoolRecPtr->NumBuckets > 0 && PoolRecPtr->NumBuckets <= CFE_PLATFORM_ES_POOL_MAX_BUCKETS);
 }
 
 /*