diff --git a/src/os/bluestore/BlueStore.cc b/src/os/bluestore/BlueStore.cc
index 79986fd34af..b54d9b47ba9 100644
--- a/src/os/bluestore/BlueStore.cc
+++ b/src/os/bluestore/BlueStore.cc
@@ -276,11 +276,9 @@ static void get_object_key(const ghobject_t& oid, string *key)
     // is a key... could be < = or >.
     append_escaped(oid.hobj.get_key(), key);
     // (ASCII chars < = and > sort in that order, yay)
-    if (oid.hobj.get_key() < oid.hobj.oid.name) {
-      key->append("<");
-      append_escaped(oid.hobj.oid.name, key);
-    } else if (oid.hobj.get_key() > oid.hobj.oid.name) {
-      key->append(">");
+    int r = oid.hobj.get_key().compare(oid.hobj.oid.name);
+    if (r) {
+      key->append(r > 0 ? ">" : "<");
       append_escaped(oid.hobj.oid.name, key);
     } else {
       // same as no key