diff --git a/storage_controller/src/tenant_shard.rs b/storage_controller/src/tenant_shard.rs
index cbc2696b26..d344e27e31 100644
--- a/storage_controller/src/tenant_shard.rs
+++ b/storage_controller/src/tenant_shard.rs
@@ -1806,7 +1806,7 @@ impl TenantShard {
                         .get(&node_id)
                         .expect("referenced node exists")
                         .get_availability_zone_id(),
-                ) == self.intent.preferred_az_id.as_ref()
+                ) != self.intent.preferred_az_id.as_ref()
             })
             .unwrap_or(false)
     }