diff --git a/kernel-src/fs/pipefs.c b/kernel-src/fs/pipefs.c
index 28c29d25..12aac5f4 100644
--- a/kernel-src/fs/pipefs.c
+++ b/kernel-src/fs/pipefs.c
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ int pipefs_read(vnode_t *node, void *buffer, size_t size, uintmax_t offset, int
 	*readc = ringbuffer_read(&pipenode->data, buffer, size);
 
 	// signal that there is space to write for any threads blocked on this pipe
-	if (*readc)
+	if (RINGBUFFER_DATACOUNT(&pipenode->data) < BUFFER_SIZE - PIPE_ATOMIC_SIZE)
 		poll_event(&pipenode->pollheader, POLLOUT);
 
 	leave: