diff --git a/servers/slapd/bconfig.c b/servers/slapd/bconfig.c
index 770b57ce8a..d7d4daa773 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/bconfig.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/bconfig.c
@@ -3438,7 +3438,7 @@ config_back_add( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 		slap_callback sc = { NULL, slap_null_cb, NULL, NULL };
 		op->o_bd = &cfb->cb_db;
 		/* FIXME: there must be a better way. */
-		if ( op->o_bd->be_rootndn.bv_val != be->be_rootndn.bv_val ) {
+		if ( ber_bvcmp( &op->o_bd->be_rootndn, &be->be_rootndn )) {
 			op->o_bd->be_rootdn = be->be_rootdn;
 			op->o_bd->be_rootndn= be->be_rootndn;
 		}
@@ -3766,7 +3766,7 @@ config_back_modify( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 		BackendDB *be = op->o_bd;
 		slap_callback sc = { NULL, slap_null_cb, NULL, NULL };
 		op->o_bd = &cfb->cb_db;
-		if ( op->o_bd->be_rootndn.bv_val != be->be_rootndn.bv_val ) {
+		if ( ber_bvcmp( &op->o_bd->be_rootndn, &be->be_rootndn )) {
 			op->o_bd->be_rootdn = be->be_rootdn;
 			op->o_bd->be_rootndn= be->be_rootndn;
 		}