diff --git a/dev-support/test-patch.sh b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
index efa1fc795ed..0f77de4adb0 100644
--- a/dev-support/test-patch.sh
+++ b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ checkJavadocWarnings () {
   echo "There appear to be $javadocWarnings javadoc warnings generated by the patched build."
 
   ### if current warnings greater than OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS
-  if [[ $javadocWarnings > $OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS ]] ; then
+  if [[ $javadocWarnings -gt $OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS ]] ; then
     JIRA_COMMENT="$JIRA_COMMENT
 
     -1 javadoc.  The javadoc tool appears to have generated `expr $(($javadocWarnings-$OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS))` warning messages."