diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/enriched.el b/lisp/textmodes/enriched.el
index 68a99b0e..a28fcfc7 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/enriched.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/enriched.el
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ (defun enriched-next-annotation ()
 	      (progn (goto-char (match-beginning 0))
 		     (not (looking-at enriched-annotation-regexp))))
     (forward-char 1)
-    (if (= ?< (char-after (point)))
+    (if (eq ?< (char-after (point)))
 	(delete-char 1)
       ;; A single < that does not start an annotation is an error,
       ;; which we note and then ignore.