diff --git a/src/utils/SparseMatrixMultiplyMod.F90 b/src/utils/SparseMatrixMultiplyMod.F90
index a6eb13bb24..564da21cc2 100644
--- a/src/utils/SparseMatrixMultiplyMod.F90
+++ b/src/utils/SparseMatrixMultiplyMod.F90
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ subroutine SPMP_ABC(this,num_unit,filter_u,A,B,C,list_ready,list_A,list_B,list_C
           call endrun( subname//" ERROR: missing required optional arguments" )
           return
        end if
-       SHR_ASSERT_FL((size(filter_actunit_A) > num_actunit_A), sourcefile, __LINE__)
+       SHR_ASSERT_FL((size(filter_actunit_A) >= num_actunit_A), sourcefile, __LINE__)
     end if
     if(present(num_actunit_B))then
        if(num_actunit_B < 0)then
@@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ subroutine SPMP_ABC(this,num_unit,filter_u,A,B,C,list_ready,list_A,list_B,list_C
           call endrun( subname//" ERROR: missing required optional arguments" )
           return
        end if
-       SHR_ASSERT_FL((size(filter_actunit_B) > num_actunit_B), sourcefile, __LINE__)
+       SHR_ASSERT_FL((size(filter_actunit_B) >= num_actunit_B), sourcefile, __LINE__)
     end if
     if(present(num_actunit_C))then
        if(num_actunit_C < 0)then