diff --git a/conf/cassandra-env.sh b/conf/cassandra-env.sh
index 527dba062e..462244cea5 100644
--- a/conf/cassandra-env.sh
+++ b/conf/cassandra-env.sh
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ JVM_OPTS="$JVM_OPTS -XX:SurvivorRatio=8"
 JVM_OPTS="$JVM_OPTS -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=1"
 JVM_OPTS="$JVM_OPTS -XX:CMSInitiatingOccupancyFraction=75"
 JVM_OPTS="$JVM_OPTS -XX:+UseCMSInitiatingOccupancyOnly"
-if [ "$JVM_VERSION" \> "1.6.0" ]; then
+# note: bash evals '1.7.x' as > '1.7' so this is really a >= 1.7 jvm check
+if [ "$JVM_VERSION" \> "1.7" ] ; then
     JVM_OPTS="$JVM_OPTS -XX:+UseCondCardMark"
 fi