diff --git a/cmd/podman/kube/play.go b/cmd/podman/kube/play.go
index 3de89ab31d..59643fc635 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/kube/play.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/kube/play.go
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func play(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	for _, annotation := range playOptions.annotations {
 		splitN := strings.SplitN(annotation, "=", 2)
-		if len(splitN) > 2 {
+		if len(splitN) != 2 {
 			return fmt.Errorf("annotation %q must include an '=' sign", annotation)
 		}
 		if playOptions.Annotations == nil {
diff --git a/test/system/700-play.bats b/test/system/700-play.bats
index d3bf0eddef..ee507cf176 100644
--- a/test/system/700-play.bats
+++ b/test/system/700-play.bats
@@ -444,6 +444,10 @@ _EOF
     is "$output" ".*name:$RANDOMSTRING" "Annotation should be added to pod"
     is "$output" ".*anno:$ANNOTATION_WITH_COMMA" "Annotation with comma should be added to pod"
 
+    # invalid annotation
+    run_podman 125 kube play --annotation "val" $PODMAN_TMPDIR/test.yaml
+    assert "$output" == "Error: annotation \"val\" must include an '=' sign" "invalid annotation error"
+
     run_podman stop -a -t 0
     run_podman pod rm -t 0 -f test_pod
 }