diff --git a/usr.bin/patch/common.h b/usr.bin/patch/common.h
index 5533115bb79..1e69ee9b07f 100644
--- a/usr.bin/patch/common.h
+++ b/usr.bin/patch/common.h
@@ -47,9 +47,8 @@
 
 /* handy definitions */
 
-#define	strNE(s1,s2) (strcmp(s1, s2))
 #define	strEQ(s1,s2) (strcmp(s1, s2) == 0)
-#define	strnNE(s1,s2,l) (strncmp(s1, s2, l))
+#define	strnNE(s1,s2,l) (strncmp(s1, s2, l) != 0)
 #define	strnEQ(s1,s2,l) (strncmp(s1, s2, l) == 0)
 
 /* typedefs */