diff --git a/src/Parquet.Test/DecimalTypeTest.cs b/src/Parquet.Test/DecimalTypeTest.cs
index ad598326..4367c745 100644
--- a/src/Parquet.Test/DecimalTypeTest.cs
+++ b/src/Parquet.Test/DecimalTypeTest.cs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public void Validate_Scale_Bigger_Then_Precision_Throws_Exception() {
             const int precision = 3;
             const int scale = 4;
             ArgumentException ex = Assert.Throws<ArgumentException>(() => new DecimalDataField("field-name", precision, scale));
-            Assert.Equal("scale must be less than the precision (Parameter 'scale')", ex.Message);
+            Assert.Equal("scale must be less than or equal to the precision (Parameter 'scale')", ex.Message);
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Parquet/Schema/DecimalDataField.cs b/src/Parquet/Schema/DecimalDataField.cs
index 5bee46f2..cb81046a 100644
--- a/src/Parquet/Schema/DecimalDataField.cs
+++ b/src/Parquet/Schema/DecimalDataField.cs
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ public DecimalDataField(string name,
                 throw new ArgumentException("precision is required and must be a non-zero positive integer", nameof(precision));
             if(scale < 0)
                 throw new ArgumentException("scale must be zero or a positive integer", nameof(scale));
-            if(scale >= precision)
-                throw new ArgumentException("scale must be less than the precision", nameof(scale));
+            if(scale > precision)
+                throw new ArgumentException("scale must be less than or equal to the precision", nameof(scale));
 
             Precision = precision;
             Scale = scale;