diff --git a/dev-support/test-patch.sh b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
index 0f77de4adb0..bdef3ab6a4f 100644
--- a/dev-support/test-patch.sh
+++ b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ $JIRA_COMMENT_FOOTER"
   done
 
   ### if current warnings greater than OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS
-  if [[ $findbugsWarnings > $OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS ]] ; then
+  if [[ $findbugsWarnings -gt $OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS ]] ; then
     JIRA_COMMENT="$JIRA_COMMENT
 
     -1 findbugs.  The patch appears to introduce `expr $(($findbugsWarnings-$OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS))` new Findbugs (version ${findbugs_version}) warnings."