diff --git a/salt/modules/rpm.py b/salt/modules/rpm.py
index 3c9a885ef1..d898f32eb2 100644
--- a/salt/modules/rpm.py
+++ b/salt/modules/rpm.py
@@ -688,14 +688,29 @@ def version_cmp(ver1, ver2, ignore_epoch=False):
                     'more accurate version comparisons'
                 )
         else:
-            cmp_result = cmp_func(salt.utils.str_version_to_evr(ver1),
-                                  salt.utils.str_version_to_evr(ver2))
-            if cmp_result not in (-1, 0, 1):
-                raise CommandExecutionError(
-                    'Comparison result \'{0}\' is invalid'.format(cmp_result)
-                )
+            else:
+                # If one EVR is missing a release but not the other and they
+                # otherwise would be equal, assume they are equal. This can
+                # happen if e.g. you are checking if a package version 3.2 is
+                # satisfied by a 3.2-1.
+                (ver1_e, ver1_v, ver1_r) = salt.utils.str_version_to_evr(ver1)
+                (ver2_e, ver2_v, ver2_r) = salt.utils.str_version_to_evr(ver2)
+                if not ver1_r or not ver2_r:
+                    tmp_cmp = cmp_func((ver1_e, ver1_v, ''), (ver2_e, ver2_v, ''))
+                    if tmp_cmp not in (-1, 0, 1):
+                        raise CommandExecutionError(
+                            'Comparison result \'{0}\' is invalid'.format(tmp_cmp)
+                        )
+                    if tmp_cmp == 0:
+                        return 0
 
-            return cmp_result
+                cmp_result = cmp_func((ver1_e, ver1_v, ver1_r),
+                                      (ver2_e, ver2_v, ver2_r))
+                if cmp_result not in (-1, 0, 1):
+                    raise CommandExecutionError(
+                        'Comparison result \'{0}\' is invalid'.format(cmp_result)
+                    )
+                return cmp_result
 
     except Exception as exc:
         log.warning(