diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/compare.c b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/compare.c
index c60d688995..0d56a69ef4 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/compare.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/compare.c
@@ -100,7 +100,9 @@ bdb_compare(
 	{
 		rc = LDAP_COMPARE_FALSE;
 
-		if ( value_find( ava->aa_desc, a->a_vals, ava->aa_value ) == 0 )
+		if ( value_find_ex( ava->aa_desc,
+				    SLAP_MR_VALUE_IS_IN_MR_SYNTAX,
+				    a->a_vals, ava->aa_value ) == 0 )
 		{
 			rc = LDAP_COMPARE_TRUE;
 			break;
@@ -124,4 +126,4 @@ done:
 	}
 
 	return rc;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/compare.c b/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/compare.c
index ba1ee41e70..b722de01fb 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/compare.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/compare.c
@@ -99,7 +99,9 @@ ldbm_back_compare(
 	{
 		rc = LDAP_COMPARE_FALSE;
 
-		if ( value_find( ava->aa_desc, a->a_vals, ava->aa_value ) == 0 )
+		if ( value_find_ex( ava->aa_desc,
+				    SLAP_MR_VALUE_IS_IN_MR_SYNTAX,
+				    a->a_vals, ava->aa_value ) == 0 )
 		{
 			rc = LDAP_COMPARE_TRUE;
 			break;