diff --git a/kernel/dma/debug.c b/kernel/dma/debug.c
index f8ae54679865..6bca5077ee71 100644
--- a/kernel/dma/debug.c
+++ b/kernel/dma/debug.c
@@ -1147,10 +1147,11 @@ static void check_sync(struct device *dev,
 				dir2name[entry->direction],
 				dir2name[ref->direction]);
 
+	/* sg list count can be less than map count when partial cache sync */
 	if (ref->sg_call_ents && ref->type == dma_debug_sg &&
-	    ref->sg_call_ents != entry->sg_call_ents) {
+	    ref->sg_call_ents > entry->sg_call_ents) {
 		err_printk(ref->dev, entry, "device driver syncs "
-			   "DMA sg list with different entry count "
+			   "DMA sg list count larger than map count "
 			   "[map count=%d] [sync count=%d]\n",
 			   entry->sg_call_ents, ref->sg_call_ents);
 	}