diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index 094cee20..c7f547c2 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -574,7 +574,13 @@ int buffer_caseless_compare(const char *a, size_t a_len, const char *b, size_t b
 		}
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	/* all chars are the same, and the length match too
+	 *
+	 * they are the same */
+	if (a_len == b_len) return 0;
+
+	/* if a is shorter then b, then b is larger */
+	return (a_len - b_len);
 }