diff --git a/package/base-files/files/etc/uci-defaults/migrate-sysctl b/package/base-files/files/etc/uci-defaults/migrate-sysctl
index 2250c57802d..b3796a4d2d8 100644
--- a/package/base-files/files/etc/uci-defaults/migrate-sysctl
+++ b/package/base-files/files/etc/uci-defaults/migrate-sysctl
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-if [ ! -f "/rom/etc/sysctl.conf" ] || cmp "/rom/etc/sysctl.conf" "/etc/sysctl.conf"; then
+if [ ! -f "/rom/etc/sysctl.conf" ] || cmp -s "/rom/etc/sysctl.conf" "/etc/sysctl.conf"; then
 	exit 0
 fi