diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 154c688983..8398b70e8c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 ### Linting
 
+- Fix incorrectly failing linting if 'modules' was not found in meta.yml ([#2447](https://github.com/nf-core/tools/pull/2447))
 - Correctly pass subworkflow linting test if `COMPONENT.out.versions` is used in the script ([#2448](https://github.com/nf-core/tools/pull/2448))
 
 ### Modules
diff --git a/nf_core/subworkflows/lint/meta_yml.py b/nf_core/subworkflows/lint/meta_yml.py
index 2710c632e2..4944b26188 100644
--- a/nf_core/subworkflows/lint/meta_yml.py
+++ b/nf_core/subworkflows/lint/meta_yml.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def meta_yml(subworkflow_lint_object, subworkflow):
                 )
             )
         else:
-            subworkflow.failed.append(
+            subworkflow.passed.append(
                 (
                     "meta_modules_deprecated",
                     f"Deprecated section 'modules' not found in `meta.yml`",