diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c
index b376a0f69..15c739428 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ static int prepare_packet(struct pw_protocol_native_connection *conn, struct buf
 	size -= impl->hdr_size;
 	buf->msg.fds = &buf->fds[buf->fds_offset];
 
-	if (buf->msg.n_fds + buf->fds_offset > MAX_FDS)
+	if (buf->msg.n_fds + buf->fds_offset > buf->n_fds)
 		return -EPROTO;
 
 	if (size < len)