diff --git a/utils/mqnic-fw.c b/utils/mqnic-fw.c
index 0ac99473d..ba5ecf120 100644
--- a/utils/mqnic-fw.c
+++ b/utils/mqnic-fw.c
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     // PCIe device will have a config space, so check for that
     snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/config", device_path);
 
-    if (access(path, F_OK) == -1)
+    if (access(path, F_OK))
     {
         perror("failed to determine device path");
         ret = -1;
@@ -1228,7 +1228,7 @@ skip_flash:
         {
             snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/driver/unbind", device_path);
 
-            if (access(path, F_OK) != -1)
+            if (access(path, F_OK) == 0)
             {
                 printf("Unbinding driver...\n");
                 write_str_to_file(path, ptr+1);
diff --git a/utils/mqnic.c b/utils/mqnic.c
index 0477f40ba..de73a76fc 100644
--- a/utils/mqnic.c
+++ b/utils/mqnic.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ struct mqnic *mqnic_open(const char *dev_name)
         goto fail_open;
     }
 
-    if (fstat(dev->fd, &st) == -1)
+    if (fstat(dev->fd, &st))
     {
         perror("fstat failed");
         goto fail_fstat;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ struct mqnic *mqnic_open(const char *dev_name)
             strcpy(++ptr, "enable");
         }
 
-        if (access(path, F_OK) != -1)
+        if (access(path, F_OK) == 0)
         {
             FILE *fp = fopen(path, "w");