diff --git a/src/erasurecode.c b/src/erasurecode.c
index 73091fd..bbdde98 100644
--- a/src/erasurecode.c
+++ b/src/erasurecode.c
@@ -1087,7 +1087,7 @@ int liberasurecode_verify_fragment_metadata(ec_backend_t be,
 {
     int k = be->args.uargs.k;
     int m = be->args.uargs.m;
-    if (md->idx < 0 || (md->idx > (k + m))) {
+    if (md->idx > (k + m)) {
         return 1;
     }
     if (md->backend_id != be->common.id) {