diff --git a/compiler/mips/char.lisp b/compiler/mips/char.lisp
index 0f0efd9f2f794d9f2b550dc6db690ec280596e7d..2870bb745ee178d37f10be53613f2445a664ef80 100644
--- a/compiler/mips/char.lisp
+++ b/compiler/mips/char.lisp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 	       (move dest src))
 	      (x-char
 	       (inst sll dest src vm:type-bits)
-	       (inst ori dest src vm:base-character-type))
+	       (inst ori dest dest vm:base-character-type))
 	      (t
 	       (inst srl dest src vm:type-bits)))