diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc b/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc
index 85b89df4e6ec1..cffc7aea0bb3e 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ void partition_manifest::set_archive_clean_offset(
 
 bool partition_manifest::advance_start_kafka_offset(
   kafka::offset new_start_offset) {
-    if (_start_kafka_offset_override >= new_start_offset) {
+    if (_start_kafka_offset_override > new_start_offset) {
         return false;
     }
     _start_kafka_offset_override = new_start_offset;
diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/tests/partition_manifest_test.cc b/src/v/cloud_storage/tests/partition_manifest_test.cc
index cab061378d374..d27db9dc00d6d 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/tests/partition_manifest_test.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/tests/partition_manifest_test.cc
@@ -1431,9 +1431,9 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_partition_manifest_start_kafka_offset_advance) {
       m.get_start_kafka_offset_override(), kafka::offset(370));
     BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(m.get_start_offset(), model::offset(100));
     BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(m.get_start_kafka_offset(), kafka::offset(90));
-
+    // Allow update with the same value
+    BOOST_REQUIRE(m.advance_start_kafka_offset(kafka::offset(370)));
     // If trying to move back, it should no-op.
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(!m.advance_start_kafka_offset(kafka::offset(370)));
     BOOST_REQUIRE(!m.advance_start_kafka_offset(kafka::offset(369)));
     BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(
       m.get_start_kafka_offset_override(), kafka::offset(370));