diff --git a/test/ruby/test_symbol.rb b/test/ruby/test_symbol.rb
index e7f3d5a527..ba3256b820 100644
--- a/test/ruby/test_symbol.rb
+++ b/test/ruby/test_symbol.rb
@@ -514,4 +514,16 @@ class TestSymbol < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert_not_equal sym.to_sym.hash,
                      `#{ruby} -e 'puts #{sym.inspect}.to_sym.hash'`.to_i
   end
+
+  def test_eq_can_be_redefined
+    assert_in_out_err([], <<-RUBY, ["foo"], [])
+      class Symbol
+        def ==(obj)
+          "foo"
+        end
+      end
+
+      puts :a == :a
+    RUBY
+  end
 end
diff --git a/vm.c b/vm.c
index 6ff1d234a3..814f8b6780 100644
--- a/vm.c
+++ b/vm.c
@@ -1576,7 +1576,7 @@ vm_init_redefined_flag(void)
     OP(MULT, MULT), (C(Integer), C(Float));
     OP(DIV, DIV), (C(Integer), C(Float));
     OP(MOD, MOD), (C(Integer), C(Float));
-    OP(Eq, EQ), (C(Integer), C(Float), C(String));
+    OP(Eq, EQ), (C(Integer), C(Float), C(String), C(Symbol));
     OP(Eqq, EQQ), (C(Integer), C(Float), C(Symbol), C(String),
 		   C(NilClass), C(TrueClass), C(FalseClass));
     OP(LT, LT), (C(Integer), C(Float));