diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc b/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc
index b3ab5339a583..60dde1688ac8 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/partition_manifest.cc
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ struct partition_manifest_handler
                 _delta_offset_end = model::offset_delta(u);
             } else if ("sname_format" == _segment_meta_key) {
                 _meta_sname_format = segment_name_format(u);
-            } else if ("metadata_size_hint") {
+            } else if ("metadata_size_hint" == _segment_meta_key) {
                 _metadata_size_hint = static_cast<size_t>(u);
             }
             if (_state == state::expect_segment_meta_value) {