diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/node_utils.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/node_utils.ts
index 82e5d7f4698498..a13e44b307a7bf 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/node_utils.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/node_utils.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ export async function getMlNodeCount(client: IScopedClusterClient): Promise<MlNo
   if (typeof body.nodes === 'object') {
     Object.keys(body.nodes).forEach((k) => {
       if (body.nodes[k].attributes !== undefined) {
-        const maxOpenJobs = +body.nodes[k].attributes['ml.max_open_jobs'];
-        if (maxOpenJobs !== null && maxOpenJobs > 0) {
+        const machineMemory = +body.nodes[k].attributes['ml.machine_memory'];
+        if (machineMemory !== null && machineMemory > 0) {
           count++;
         }
       }