diff --git a/src/org/rascalmpl/values/parsetrees/TreeAdapter.java b/src/org/rascalmpl/values/parsetrees/TreeAdapter.java
index 4ab329a2a92..ce8b20943d6 100644
--- a/src/org/rascalmpl/values/parsetrees/TreeAdapter.java
+++ b/src/org/rascalmpl/values/parsetrees/TreeAdapter.java
@@ -941,9 +941,9 @@ public static IList searchCategory(ITree tree, String category) {
 		IListWriter writer = ValueFactoryFactory.getValueFactory().listWriter();
 		if (isAppl(tree)) {
 			String s = ProductionAdapter.getCategory(getProduction(tree));
-			if (s == category)
+			if (s.equals(category)) {
 				writer.append(tree);
-			else {
+			} else {
 				IList z = getArgs(tree);
 				for (IValue q : z) {
 					if (!(q instanceof IConstructor))