diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/pwdbased.c b/wolfcrypt/src/pwdbased.c
index 5ca96e6b6..2515d789f 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/pwdbased.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/pwdbased.c
@@ -415,10 +415,10 @@ int wc_PKCS12_PBKDF_ex(byte* output, const byte* passwd, int passLen,
 
     dLen = v;
     sLen = v * ((saltLen + v - 1) / v);
-    if (passLen)
-        pLen = v * ((passLen + v - 1) / v);
-    else
-        pLen = 0;
+
+    /* with passLen checked at the top of the function for >= 0 then passLen
+     * must be 1 or greater here and is always 'true' */
+    pLen = v * ((passLen + v - 1) / v);
     iLen = sLen + pLen;
 
     totalLen = dLen + sLen + pLen;