diff --git a/tuned/plugins/base.py b/tuned/plugins/base.py

--- a/tuned/plugins/base.py

+++ b/tuned/plugins/base.py

@@ -369,10 +369,12 @@ class Plugin(object):

 	def _process_assignment_modifiers(self, new_value, current_value):

 		if new_value is not None:

 			nws = str(new_value)

+			if len(nws) <= 1:

+				return new_value

 			op = nws[:1]

 			val = nws[1:]

 			if current_value is None:

-				return new_value

+				return val if op in ["<", ">"] else new_value

 			try:

 				if op == ">":

 					if int(val) > int(current_value):