diff --git a/src/documentation/content/xdocs/status.xml b/src/documentation/content/xdocs/status.xml
index 039edc325..be005a1d7 100644
--- a/src/documentation/content/xdocs/status.xml
+++ b/src/documentation/content/xdocs/status.xml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
     <changes>
         <release version="3.8-beta5" date="2011-??-??">
+           <action dev="poi-developers" type="fix">51809 - correct GTE handling in COUNTIF</action>
            <action dev="poi-developers" type="add">Add HWPF API to update range text and delete bookmarks</action>
            <action dev="poi-developers" type="add">HWPF Bookmarks tables are correctly updated on text updates</action>
            <action dev="poi-developers" type="add">51670 - avoid LeftoverDataException when reading .xls files with invalid LabelRecords</action>
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/Countif.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/Countif.java
index 2b7601c87..173f6a1e7 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/Countif.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/Countif.java
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ public final class Countif extends Fixed2ArgFunction {
 				case LT: return cmpResult <  0;
 				case LE: return cmpResult <= 0;
 				case GT: return cmpResult >  0;
-				case GE: return cmpResult <= 0;
+				case GE: return cmpResult >= 0;
 			}
 			throw new RuntimeException("Cannot call boolean evaluate on non-equality operator '"
 					+ _representation + "'");
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/TestSumif.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/TestSumif.java
index 1ef090ea4..6cee5eab7 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/TestSumif.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/formula/functions/TestSumif.java
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ public final class TestSumif extends TestCase {
 		confirm(60.0, arg0, new NumberEval(30.0));
 		confirm(70.0, arg0, new NumberEval(30.0), arg2);
 		confirm(100.0, arg0, new StringEval(">45"));
+		confirm(100.0, arg0, new StringEval(">=45"));
+		confirm(100.0, arg0, new StringEval(">=50.0"));
+		confirm(140.0, arg0, new StringEval("<45"));
+		confirm(140.0, arg0, new StringEval("<=45"));
+		confirm(140.0, arg0, new StringEval("<=40.0"));
+		confirm(160.0, arg0, new StringEval("<>40.0"));
+		confirm(80.0, arg0, new StringEval("=40.0"));
+		
 
 	}
 	private static void confirm(double expectedResult, ValueEval...args) {