diff --git a/epics-base.spec b/epics-base.spec
index b681fdf86..e5af243de 100644
--- a/epics-base.spec
+++ b/epics-base.spec
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ This RPM is a binary-only package.
 Requires:       make >= 3.80
 BuildRequires:  make >= 3.80
 BuildRequires:  gfa-cross-compiler-links
-%if %{?rhel} >= 9
+%if 0%{?rhel} >= 9
 BuildRequires:  gfa-wine
 %else
 BuildRequires:  wine
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ Contains headers etc to build EPICS host applications.
 
 ###########################################
 
-%if %{?rhel} > 8
+%if 0%{?rhel} > 8
 %package compat
 Summary:        EPICS base %{EpicsVersion} for older RHEL versions
 Requires:       %{name} = %{version}-%{release}
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ Contains EPICS binaries that run on older RHEL versions.
 %package wine
 Summary:        EPICS base %{EpicsVersion} for wine
 Requires:       %{name} = %{version}-%{release}
-%if %{?rhel} >= 9
+%if 0%{?rhel} >= 9
 Requires:       gfa-wine
 %else
 Requires:       wine
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ shopt -s extglob
 /bin/sed 's!\$EPICS_BASE!%{prog_folder}!' epics-base.sh > %{buildroot}%{prog_folder}/bin/epics-base.sh
 
 # copy over old libraries for compatibility
-%if %{?rhel} > 8
+%if 0%{?rhel} > 8
 %{__cp} /opt/RHEL8/lib64/libreadline.so.7 %{buildroot}%{prog_folder}/lib/RHEL8-x86_64
 %endif
 
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ fi
 
 ###########################################
 
-%if %{?rhel} > 8
+%if 0%{?rhel} > 8
 
 %files compat
 %dir %{prog_folder}/bin/RHEL8*
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ fi
 %dir %{prog_folder}/lib/RHEL8*
 %{prog_folder}/lib/RHEL8*/*.so*
 
-%if %{?rhel} > 9
+%if 0%{?rhel} > 9
 %dir %{prog_folder}/bin/RHEL9*
 %{prog_folder}/bin/RHEL9*/[Scips]*[^.]??
 %{prog_folder}/bin/RHEL9*/p2p