diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm
index 3d7ba772b..bc99a3d37 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm
@@ -1394,7 +1394,7 @@ sub  collect_all_attribs_for_tables_in_template
                                   #for noderes.xcatmaster
                                   if ($tabname =~ /^noderes$/ && $attrib =~ /^xcatmaster$/ && 
                                      ( ! exists($::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{noderes}{$node}{xcatmaster}) ||
-                                       $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{noderes}{$node}{xcatmaster} == ""        ) )
+                                       $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{noderes}{$node}{xcatmaster} eq ""        ) )
                                   {
                                       my $value;
                                       $value = xCAT::NetworkUtils->my_ip_facing($node);