diff --git a/src/target/arm_jtag.h b/src/target/arm_jtag.h
index bf5b83748..f3e0bc2a3 100644
--- a/src/target/arm_jtag.h
+++ b/src/target/arm_jtag.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #define OPENOCD_TARGET_ARM_JTAG_H
 
 #include <jtag/jtag.h>
+#include <helper/bits.h>
 
 struct arm_jtag {
 	struct jtag_tap *tap;
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ static inline int arm_jtag_set_instr(struct jtag_tap *tap,
 		uint32_t new_instr, void *no_verify_capture, tap_state_t end_state)
 {
 	/* inline most common code path */
-	if (buf_get_u32(tap->cur_instr, 0, tap->ir_length) != new_instr)
+	if (buf_get_u32(tap->cur_instr, 0, tap->ir_length) != (new_instr & (BIT(tap->ir_length) - 1)))
 		return arm_jtag_set_instr_inner(tap, new_instr, no_verify_capture, end_state);
 
 	return ERROR_OK;