diff --git a/src/core/iomgr/fd_posix.c b/src/core/iomgr/fd_posix.c
index a2df838d4a0cd56465a460c4cb29a16045b60221..cbc141a2d00916d1060eda65642b20d85ef99cda 100644
--- a/src/core/iomgr/fd_posix.c
+++ b/src/core/iomgr/fd_posix.c
@@ -376,13 +376,15 @@ gpr_uint32 grpc_fd_begin_poll(grpc_fd *fd, grpc_pollset *pollset,
     return 0;
   }
   /* if there is nobody polling for read, but we need to, then start doing so */
-  if (read_mask && !fd->read_watcher && gpr_atm_acq_load(&fd->readst) > READY) {
+  if (read_mask && !fd->read_watcher &&
+      (gpr_uintptr)gpr_atm_acq_load(&fd->readst) > READY) {
     fd->read_watcher = watcher;
     mask |= read_mask;
   }
   /* if there is nobody polling for write, but we need to, then start doing so
    */
-  if (write_mask && !fd->write_watcher && gpr_atm_acq_load(&fd->writest) > READY) {
+  if (write_mask && !fd->write_watcher &&
+      (gpr_uintptr)gpr_atm_acq_load(&fd->writest) > READY) {
     fd->write_watcher = watcher;
     mask |= write_mask;
   }