diff --git a/src/Variant.cpp b/src/Variant.cpp
index f343d7642..ee848a05d 100644
--- a/src/Variant.cpp
+++ b/src/Variant.cpp
@@ -761,8 +761,6 @@ bool Variant::operator_partial (const Variant& other) const
     case type_real:     right.cast (type_string);  return left._string == right._string;
     case type_string:
       {
-        // Why the "if" instead of "min"? This is an attempt to eliminate one
-        // std::string::substr call.
         int left_length  = left._string.length ();
         if (left_length == 0)
           return false;
@@ -772,9 +770,9 @@ bool Variant::operator_partial (const Variant& other) const
           return false;
 
         if (left_length < right_length)
-          return left._string == right._string.substr (0, left_length);
-        else
-          return left._string.substr (0, right_length)  == right._string;
+          return false;
+
+        return left._string.substr (0, right_length) == right._string;
       }
     // TODO Implement same-day comparison.
     case type_date:     left.cast (type_date);     return left._date == right._date;
diff --git a/test/bug.656.t b/test/bug.656.t
index c8f13b562..e5f456c9a 100755
--- a/test/bug.656.t
+++ b/test/bug.656.t
@@ -50,10 +50,8 @@ qx{../src/task rc:bug.rc add Second recurring task due:tomorrow rec:daily 2>&1};
 
 # Bug describes that each time task is executed, another child task of the
 # Second recurring task is created.
-
 qx{../src/task rc:bug.rc ls 2>&1};
 
-
 # Result: Check for an extra task the second time task ls is executed
 my $output = qx{../src/task rc:bug.rc ls 2>&1};
 like   ($output, qr/^2 tasks$/ms, '2 tasks shown.');
diff --git a/test/subproject.t b/test/subproject.t
index 54b70f7e0..ab7fad0ab 100755
--- a/test/subproject.t
+++ b/test/subproject.t
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ $output = qx{../src/task rc:sp.rc list project:abc 2>&1};
 like ($output, qr/\babc\s/m, 'abc,ab,a,b | a -> abc');
 
 $output = qx{../src/task rc:sp.rc list project:abcd 2>&1 >/dev/null};
-like ($output, qr/No matches./, 'abc,ab,a,b | abcd -> nul');
+like ($output, qr/No matches\./, 'abc,ab,a,b | abcd -> nul');
 
 # Cleanup.
 unlink qw(pending.data completed.data undo.data backlog.data sp.rc);