diff --git a/man/systemd.unit.xml b/man/systemd.unit.xml
index 16aa8303e79..02d5e72aeeb 100644
--- a/man/systemd.unit.xml
+++ b/man/systemd.unit.xml
@@ -1251,9 +1251,9 @@
           <literal>operator</literal> is one of <literal>&lt;</literal>, <literal>&lt;=</literal>,
           <literal>&gt;=</literal>, <literal>&gt;</literal>, <literal>==</literal>,
           <literal>&lt;&gt;</literal> for version comparison, <literal>=</literal> and <literal>!=</literal>
-          for literal string comparison, or <literal>=$</literal>, <literal>!=$</literal> for shell-style
+          for literal string comparison, or <literal>$=</literal>, <literal>!$=</literal> for shell-style
           glob comparison.  <literal>value</literal> is the expected value of the SMBIOS field value
-          (possibly containing shell style globs in case <literal>=$</literal>/<literal>!=$</literal> is
+          (possibly containing shell style globs in case <literal>$=</literal>/<literal>!$=</literal> is
           used).</para>
           </listitem>
         </varlistentry>
@@ -1337,8 +1337,8 @@
           expressions.  Each expression starts with one of <literal>=</literal> or <literal>!=</literal> for
           string comparisons, <literal>&lt;</literal>, <literal>&lt;=</literal>, <literal>==</literal>,
           <literal>&lt;&gt;</literal>, <literal>&gt;=</literal>, <literal>&gt;</literal> for a relative
-          version comparison, or <literal>=$</literal>, <literal>!=$</literal> for a shell-style glob
-          match. If no operator is specified <literal>=$</literal> is implied.</para>
+          version comparison, or <literal>$=</literal>, <literal>!$=</literal> for a shell-style glob
+          match. If no operator is specified <literal>$=</literal> is implied.</para>
 
           <para>Note that using the kernel version string is an unreliable way to determine which features
           are supported by a kernel, because of the widespread practice of backporting drivers, features, and
@@ -1704,7 +1704,7 @@
           with <literal>&lt;</literal>, <literal>&lt;=</literal>, <literal>==</literal>,
           <literal>&lt;&gt;</literal>, <literal>&gt;=</literal>, <literal>&gt;</literal>), and shell-style
           wildcard comparisons (<literal>*</literal>, <literal>?</literal>, <literal>[]</literal>) are
-          supported with the <literal>=$</literal> (match) and <literal>!=$</literal> (non-match).</para>
+          supported with the <literal>$=</literal> (match) and <literal>!$=</literal> (non-match).</para>
           </listitem>
         </varlistentry>
 
diff --git a/src/shared/compare-operator.c b/src/shared/compare-operator.c
index e9c7cc9b2b2..ad931b778f6 100644
--- a/src/shared/compare-operator.c
+++ b/src/shared/compare-operator.c
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ CompareOperator parse_compare_operator(const char **s, CompareOperatorParseFlags
                 CompareOperatorParseFlags valid_mask; /* If this operator appears when flags in mask not set, fail */
                 CompareOperatorParseFlags need_mask;  /* Skip over this operattor when flags in mask not set */
         } table[] = {
-                { COMPARE_FNMATCH_EQUAL,    "=$",  .valid_mask = COMPARE_ALLOW_FNMATCH   },
-                { COMPARE_FNMATCH_UNEQUAL,  "!=$", .valid_mask = COMPARE_ALLOW_FNMATCH   },
+                { COMPARE_FNMATCH_EQUAL,    "$=",  .valid_mask = COMPARE_ALLOW_FNMATCH   },
+                { COMPARE_FNMATCH_UNEQUAL,  "!$=", .valid_mask = COMPARE_ALLOW_FNMATCH   },
 
                 { COMPARE_UNEQUAL,          "<>"                                         },
                 { COMPARE_LOWER_OR_EQUAL,   "<="                                         },
diff --git a/src/test/test-condition.c b/src/test/test-condition.c
index f93619293fa..10494b010c3 100644
--- a/src/test/test-condition.c
+++ b/src/test/test-condition.c
@@ -359,31 +359,31 @@ TEST(condition_test_firmware_smbios_field) {
         const char *quote = strchr(bios_vendor, ' ') ? "\"" : "";
 
         /* Test equality / inequality using fnmatch() */
-        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor =$ ", quote,  bios_vendor, quote, ")");
+        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor $= ", quote,  bios_vendor, quote, ")");
         condition = condition_new(CONDITION_FIRMWARE, expression, false, false);
         assert_se(condition);
         assert_se(condition_test(condition, environ) > 0);
         condition_free(condition);
 
-        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor=$", quote, bios_vendor, quote, ")");
+        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor$=", quote, bios_vendor, quote, ")");
         condition = condition_new(CONDITION_FIRMWARE, expression, false, false);
         assert_se(condition);
         assert_se(condition_test(condition, environ) > 0);
         condition_free(condition);
 
-        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor !=$ ", quote, bios_vendor, quote, ")");
+        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor !$= ", quote, bios_vendor, quote, ")");
         condition = condition_new(CONDITION_FIRMWARE, expression, false, false);
         assert_se(condition);
         assert_se(condition_test(condition, environ) == 0);
         condition_free(condition);
 
-        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor!=$", quote, bios_vendor, quote, ")");
+        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor!$=", quote, bios_vendor, quote, ")");
         condition = condition_new(CONDITION_FIRMWARE, expression, false, false);
         assert_se(condition);
         assert_se(condition_test(condition, environ) == 0);
         condition_free(condition);
 
-        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor =$ ", quote,  bios_vendor, "*", quote, ")");
+        expression = strjoina("smbios-field(bios_vendor $= ", quote,  bios_vendor, "*", quote, ")");
         condition = condition_new(CONDITION_FIRMWARE, expression, false, false);
         assert_se(condition);
         assert_se(condition_test(condition, environ) > 0);
@@ -1174,13 +1174,13 @@ TEST(condition_test_os_release) {
         condition_free(condition);
 
         /* Test fnmatch() operators */
-        key_value_pair = strjoina(os_release_pairs[0], "=$", quote, os_release_pairs[1], quote);
+        key_value_pair = strjoina(os_release_pairs[0], "$=", quote, os_release_pairs[1], quote);
         condition = condition_new(CONDITION_OS_RELEASE, key_value_pair, false, false);
         assert_se(condition);
         assert_se(condition_test(condition, environ) > 0);
         condition_free(condition);
 
-        key_value_pair = strjoina(os_release_pairs[0], "!=$", quote, os_release_pairs[1], quote);
+        key_value_pair = strjoina(os_release_pairs[0], "!$=", quote, os_release_pairs[1], quote);
         condition = condition_new(CONDITION_OS_RELEASE, key_value_pair, false, false);
         assert_se(condition);
         assert_se(condition_test(condition, environ) == 0);