diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index 512e3f4d4963..ca978992c898 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -1465,15 +1465,19 @@ static int __init build_zonelists_node(pg_data_t *pgdat,
 	struct zone *zone;
 
 	BUG_ON(k > ZONE_HIGHMEM);
-	for (zone = pgdat->node_zones + k; zone >= pgdat->node_zones; zone--) {
+
+	do {
+		zone = pgdat->node_zones + k;
 		if (populated_zone(zone)) {
 #ifndef CONFIG_HIGHMEM
-			BUG_ON(zone - pgdat->node_zones > ZONE_NORMAL);
+			BUG_ON(k > ZONE_NORMAL);
 #endif
 			zonelist->zones[j++] = zone;
 			check_highest_zone(k);
 		}
-	}
+		k--;
+
+	} while (k >= 0);
 	return j;
 }