diff --git a/src/jobflow_remote/jobs/jobcontroller.py b/src/jobflow_remote/jobs/jobcontroller.py
index d9496d72..20ecb09b 100644
--- a/src/jobflow_remote/jobs/jobcontroller.py
+++ b/src/jobflow_remote/jobs/jobcontroller.py
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ def retry_job(
                     )
                 raise ValueError(f"No Job matching criteria {lock_filter}")
             state = JobState(doc["state"])
-            if state != JobState.REMOTE_ERROR:
+            if state == JobState.REMOTE_ERROR:
                 previous_state = doc["previous_state"]
                 try:
                     JobState(previous_state)