diff --git a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/account/MyPreferencesScreen.java b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/account/MyPreferencesScreen.java
index 731eaeb4e2..2dd4df733a 100644
--- a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/account/MyPreferencesScreen.java
+++ b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/account/MyPreferencesScreen.java
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ public class MyPreferencesScreen extends SettingsScreen {
         return;
       }
     }
-    if (currentValue != defaultValue) {
+    if (!currentValue.equals(defaultValue)) {
       setListBox(f, defaultValue, defaultValue);
     }
   }
diff --git a/gerrit-launcher/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/launcher/GerritLauncher.java b/gerrit-launcher/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/launcher/GerritLauncher.java
index 44226bc790..3ca3619848 100644
--- a/gerrit-launcher/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/launcher/GerritLauncher.java
+++ b/gerrit-launcher/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/launcher/GerritLauncher.java
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ public final class GerritLauncher {
     try {
       path = getDistributionArchive();
     } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
-      if (NOT_ARCHIVED == e.getMessage()) {
+      if (NOT_ARCHIVED.equals(e.getMessage())) {
         // Assume the CLASSPATH was made complete by the calling process,
         // as we are likely being run from within a developer's IDE.
         //