diff --git a/src/program_state.cpp b/src/program_state.cpp
index 17f127fe87..4c14eb2953 100644
--- a/src/program_state.cpp
+++ b/src/program_state.cpp
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ class startup_kernel_loader {
 };
 
 extern "C" void __attribute__((constructor)) __startup_kernel_loader_init() {
-    if (atoi(std::getenv("HIP_STARTUP_LOADER"))) functions();
+    if (atoi(std::getenv("HIP_STARTUP_LOADER")) == 1) functions();
 }
 
 extern "C" void __attribute__((destructor)) __startup_kernel_loader_fini() {