diff --git a/src/data.c b/src/data.c
index eb1cbf77bbc..eb04f5a39aa 100644
--- a/src/data.c
+++ b/src/data.c
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ DEFUN ("makunbound", Fmakunbound, Smakunbound, 1, 1, 0, "Make SYMBOL's value be
   CHECK_SYMBOL (symbol, 0);
   if (NILP (symbol) || EQ (symbol, Qt)
       || (XSYMBOL (symbol)->name->data[0] == ':'
-	  && XSYMBOL (symbol)->obarray == initial_obarray
+	  && EQ (XSYMBOL (symbol)->obarray, initial_obarray)
 	  && keyword_symbols_constant_flag))
     return Fsignal (Qsetting_constant, Fcons (symbol, Qnil));
   Fset (symbol, Qunbound);
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ set_internal (symbol, newval, bindflag)
   CHECK_SYMBOL (symbol, 0);
   if (NILP (symbol) || EQ (symbol, Qt)
       || (XSYMBOL (symbol)->name->data[0] == ':'
-	  && XSYMBOL (symbol)->obarray == initial_obarray
+	  && EQ (XSYMBOL (symbol)->obarray, initial_obarray)
 	  && keyword_symbols_constant_flag && ! EQ (newval, symbol)))
     return Fsignal (Qsetting_constant, Fcons (symbol, Qnil));
   valcontents = XSYMBOL (symbol)->value;