diff --git a/empire-db/src/main/java/org/apache/empire/commons/StringUtils.java b/empire-db/src/main/java/org/apache/empire/commons/StringUtils.java
index 4f41468..4f1cb46 100644
--- a/empire-db/src/main/java/org/apache/empire/commons/StringUtils.java
+++ b/empire-db/src/main/java/org/apache/empire/commons/StringUtils.java
@@ -250,8 +250,8 @@
      */
     public static boolean compareEqual(String s1, String s2)
     {
-        if (s1==null || s2==null)
-            return (s1==s2);
+        if (s1==s2)
+            return true;
         // Empty
         if (isEmpty(s1) && isEmpty(s2))
             return true;