diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
index 75b31dc1..d3a59d25 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
@@ -3958,7 +3958,7 @@ void Game::gethardestroom(void)
             if (roomx == 50 && roomy == 53) hardestroom =map.specialnames[6];
             if (roomx == 50 && roomy == 54) hardestroom = map.specialnames[7];
         }
-        else if (SDL_strcmp(map.roomname, "") == 0)
+        else if (map.roomname[0] == '\0')
         {
             hardestroom = map.hiddenname;
         }
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
index 32a7737f..41e884a4 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
@@ -1737,7 +1737,7 @@ void gamerender(void)
         graphics.bprint(46, 6, game.timestring(),  196, 196, 196);
     }
 
-    if(map.extrarow==0 || (map.custommode && SDL_strcmp(map.roomname, "") != 0))
+    if(map.extrarow==0 || (map.custommode && map.roomname[0] != '\0'))
     {
         graphics.footerrect.y = 230;
         if (graphics.translucentroomname)
@@ -2013,7 +2013,7 @@ void maprender(void)
 
     //draw screen alliteration
     //Roomname:
-    if (SDL_strcmp(map.hiddenname, "") != 0)
+    if (map.hiddenname[0] != '\0')
     {
         graphics.Print(5, 2, map.hiddenname, 196, 196, 255 - help.glow, true);
     }