diff --git a/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c b/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c
index 0fe731bd930a652a9fdcd08c5d3cf530c092cce4..16b653e05f8562b8109e1119ca813c7f3d153370 100644
--- a/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c
+++ b/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ _pick_step_nodes (struct job_record  *job_ptr,
 		}
 
 		if (selected_nodes) {
-			if (!bit_equal(selected_nodes, nodes_avail)) {
+			if (!bit_super_set(selected_nodes, nodes_avail)) {
 				/* some required nodes have no available
 				 * processors, defer request */
 				tasks_picked_cnt = 0;