diff --git a/src/character.c b/src/character.c
index aa279183e77..07a50ce797c 100644
--- a/src/character.c
+++ b/src/character.c
@@ -896,8 +896,8 @@ An ID of a translation table is an index of this vector.  */);
 A char-table for characters which invoke auto-filling.
 Such characters have value t in this table.  */);
   Vauto_fill_chars = Fmake_char_table (Qauto_fill_chars, Qnil);
-  CHAR_TABLE_SET (Vauto_fill_chars, make_number (' '), Qt);
-  CHAR_TABLE_SET (Vauto_fill_chars, make_number ('\n'), Qt);
+  CHAR_TABLE_SET (Vauto_fill_chars, ' ', Qt);
+  CHAR_TABLE_SET (Vauto_fill_chars, '\n', Qt);
 
   DEFVAR_LISP ("char-width-table", &Vchar_width_table,
 	       doc: /*