diff --git a/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py b/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py
index f24911f9f4d..8f27c99d794 100644
--- a/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py
+++ b/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py
@@ -585,7 +585,8 @@ def test_passing_max_matches_to_converter(self, u2):
             sel = u2.select_atoms("smarts C", smarts_kwargs=dict(maxMatches=2))
             sel2 = u2.select_atoms(
                     "smarts C", smarts_kwargs=dict(maxMatches=1000))
-            assert sel.n_atoms == sel2.n_atoms == 2
+            assert sel.n_atoms == 2
+            assert sel2.n_atoms == 3
 
         sel3 = u2.select_atoms("smarts c")
         assert sel3.n_atoms == 4