diff --git a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
index b46f7960c08..c3c3578662a 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ function _M:init_cp(manager)
     end
 
     if default_namespace_version == 0 or
-       default_namespace_version < latest_version then
+       default_namespace_version ~= latest_version then
       return full_sync_result()
     end