diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/options/leaderelectionconfig.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/options/leaderelectionconfig.go
index 5c671a1b79b..bf2a44a0a83 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/options/leaderelectionconfig.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/options/leaderelectionconfig.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func BindLeaderElectionFlags(l *config.LeaderElectionConfiguration, fs *pflag.Fl
 		"election is enabled.")
 	fs.DurationVar(&l.RenewDeadline.Duration, "leader-elect-renew-deadline", l.RenewDeadline.Duration, ""+
 		"The interval between attempts by the acting master to renew a leadership slot "+
-		"before it stops leading. This must be less than or equal to the lease duration. "+
+		"before it stops leading. This must be less than the lease duration. "+
 		"This is only applicable if leader election is enabled.")
 	fs.DurationVar(&l.RetryPeriod.Duration, "leader-elect-retry-period", l.RetryPeriod.Duration, ""+
 		"The duration the clients should wait between attempting acquisition and renewal "+
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation.go
index 4db15ea647d..1bee0a01f0a 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func ValidateLeaderElectionConfiguration(cc *config.LeaderElectionConfiguration,
 	if cc.RetryPeriod.Duration <= 0 {
 		allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(fldPath.Child("retryPeriod"), cc.RetryPeriod, "must be greater than zero"))
 	}
-	if cc.LeaseDuration.Duration < cc.RenewDeadline.Duration {
+	if cc.LeaseDuration.Duration <= cc.RenewDeadline.Duration {
 		allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(fldPath.Child("leaseDuration"), cc.RenewDeadline, "LeaseDuration must be greater than RenewDeadline"))
 	}
 	if len(cc.ResourceLock) == 0 {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation_test.go
index fc5a589941a..951a9e8b888 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/config/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ func TestValidateLeaderElectionConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 		ResourceName:      "name",
 	}
 
+	renewDeadlineEqualToLeaseDuration := validConfig.DeepCopy()
+	renewDeadlineEqualToLeaseDuration.RenewDeadline = metav1.Duration{Duration: 30 * time.Second}
+
 	renewDeadlineExceedsLeaseDuration := validConfig.DeepCopy()
 	renewDeadlineExceedsLeaseDuration.RenewDeadline = metav1.Duration{Duration: 45 * time.Second}
 
@@ -122,6 +125,10 @@ func TestValidateLeaderElectionConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedToFail: false,
 			config:         LeaderElectButLeaderElectNotEnabled,
 		},
+		"bad-renew-deadline-equal-to-lease-duration": {
+			expectedToFail: true,
+			config:         renewDeadlineEqualToLeaseDuration,
+		},
 		"bad-renew-deadline-exceeds-lease-duration": {
 			expectedToFail: true,
 			config:         renewDeadlineExceedsLeaseDuration,