diff --git a/src/network/linkers_socket.cpp b/src/network/linkers_socket.cpp
index 5b4b86ce67f8..8de48f3d0ae6 100644
--- a/src/network/linkers_socket.cpp
+++ b/src/network/linkers_socket.cpp
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ void Linkers::ListenThread(int incoming_cnt) {
     }
     int* ptr_in_rank = reinterpret_cast<int*>(buffer);
     int in_rank = *ptr_in_rank;
-    if (in_rank < 0 && in_rank >= num_machines_) {
+    if (in_rank < 0 || in_rank >= num_machines_) {
       Log::Fatal("Invalid rank %d found during initialization of linkers. The world size is %d", in_rank, num_machines_);
     }
     // add new socket