diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp
index 1539c7c2c5d..0bbced2e8d3 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ void ShenandoahAsserts::assert_correct(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char*
   // Do additional checks for special objects: their fields can hold metadata as well.
   // We want to check class loading/unloading did not corrupt them.
 
-  if (Universe::is_fully_initialized() && java_lang_Class::is_instance(obj)) {
+  if (Universe::is_fully_initialized() && (obj_klass == vmClasses::Class_klass())) {
     Metadata* klass = obj->metadata_field(java_lang_Class::klass_offset());
     if (klass != nullptr && !Metaspace::contains(klass)) {
       print_failure(_safe_all, obj, interior_loc, nullptr, "Shenandoah assert_correct failed",
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahVerifier.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahVerifier.cpp
index 4834ecba543..e5db7a9b392 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahVerifier.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahVerifier.cpp
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ private:
     // Do additional checks for special objects: their fields can hold metadata as well.
     // We want to check class loading/unloading did not corrupt them.
 
-    if (java_lang_Class::is_instance(obj)) {
+    if (obj_klass == vmClasses::Class_klass()) {
       Metadata* klass = obj->metadata_field(java_lang_Class::klass_offset());
       check(ShenandoahAsserts::_safe_oop, obj,
             klass == nullptr || Metaspace::contains(klass),