diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/Message.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/Message.scala
index 3b11a5974b8f..f9abead161d2 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/Message.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/Message.scala
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ object Message:
       }
 
       def addendum(cat: String, info: Type): String = info match {
-        case bounds @ TypeBounds(lo, hi) if bounds ne TypeBounds.empty =>
+        case bounds @ TypeBounds(lo, hi) if !(bounds =:= TypeBounds.empty) =>
           if (lo eq hi) i" which is an alias of $lo"
           else i" with $cat ${boundsStr(bounds)}"
         case _ =>
diff --git a/tests/neg/i13780-1.check b/tests/neg/i13780-1.check
index 029ef3f3ac4b..07cc03b35dce 100644
--- a/tests/neg/i13780-1.check
+++ b/tests/neg/i13780-1.check
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
    |                      Required: h
    |
    |                      where:    VS is a type in method foo with bounds <: Tuple
-   |                                h  is a type in method foo with bounds 
+   |                                h  is a type in method foo
    |                                t  is a type in method foo with bounds <: Tuple
    |
    |