diff --git a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/networkNode.ts b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/networkNode.ts
index 99b9fe238..1009711f8 100644
--- a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/networkNode.ts
+++ b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/networkNode.ts
@@ -276,7 +276,12 @@ export class NetworkNode implements NetworkNodeInterface {
       ]);
       if (resp instanceof Error) {
         // use `undefined` metrics values in `equal` comparisons as `0`
-        if (timedout && comparator === "equal" && desiredMetricValue === 0)
+        if (
+          timedout &&
+          comparator === "equal" &&
+          desiredMetricValue === 0 &&
+          value === undefined
+        )
           value = 0;
         else throw resp;
       }