diff --git a/libs/evoral/src/ControlList.cpp b/libs/evoral/src/ControlList.cpp
index bfe4c95..96f8dca 100644
--- a/libs/evoral/src/ControlList.cpp
+++ b/libs/evoral/src/ControlList.cpp
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ ControlList::rt_safe_earliest_event_linear_unlocked (double start, double end, d
 			return false;
 
 		/* Step is after first */
-		if (range.first == _events.begin() || (*range.first)->when == start) {
+		if (range.first == _events.begin() || (*range.first)->when <= start) {
 			first = *range.first;
 			next = *(++range.first);
 			++_search_cache.range.first;