diff --git a/src/fns.c b/src/fns.c
index 45567fc183a..cb3e25811ea 100644
--- a/src/fns.c
+++ b/src/fns.c
@@ -3033,7 +3033,7 @@ value_cmp (Lisp_Object a, Lisp_Object b, int maxdepth)
       {
 	EMACS_INT ia = XFIXNUM (a);
 	if (FIXNUMP (b))
-	  return ia < XFIXNUM (b) ? -1 : 1;   /* we know that a≠b */
+	  return ia < XFIXNUM (b) ? -1 : 1;   /* we know that a != b */
 	if (FLOATP (b))
 	  return ia < XFLOAT_DATA (b) ? -1 : ia > XFLOAT_DATA (b);
 	if (BIGNUMP (b))