diff --git a/lib/ftp.c b/lib/ftp.c
index a8ef16651566df189024e271b12190f8acab5ccc..ed6f849588de65f3066484bffac9fdddd66590ef 100644
--- a/lib/ftp.c
+++ b/lib/ftp.c
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ int Curl_GetFTPResponse(int sockfd, char *buf,
          */
         if(CURLE_OK != Curl_read(conn, sockfd, ptr, 1, &keepon))
           keepon = FALSE;
-        else if(keepon < 0)
+        else if(keepon <= 0)
           error = SELECT_ERROR;
         else if ((*ptr == '\n') || (*ptr == '\r'))
           keepon = FALSE;