diff --git a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
index f6656fd410d0..2ca4aeb21a44 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
@@ -5707,7 +5707,7 @@ static bool cgroup_check_hierarchy_limits(struct cgroup *parent)
 {
 	struct cgroup *cgroup;
 	int ret = false;
-	int level = 1;
+	int level = 0;
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&cgroup_mutex);
 
@@ -5715,7 +5715,7 @@ static bool cgroup_check_hierarchy_limits(struct cgroup *parent)
 		if (cgroup->nr_descendants >= cgroup->max_descendants)
 			goto fail;
 
-		if (level > cgroup->max_depth)
+		if (level >= cgroup->max_depth)
 			goto fail;
 
 		level++;