diff --git a/base/compiler/abstractinterpretation.jl b/base/compiler/abstractinterpretation.jl
index 9ca7db1f669a6..a32c9de3ee8bb 100644
--- a/base/compiler/abstractinterpretation.jl
+++ b/base/compiler/abstractinterpretation.jl
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ function abstract_call(@nospecialize(f), fargs::Union{Tuple{},Vector{Any}}, argt
             return ret
         end
         return Any
-    elseif f === return_type
+    elseif is_return_type(f)
         rt_rt = return_type_tfunc(argtypes, vtypes, sv)
         if rt_rt !== NOT_FOUND
             return rt_rt
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ function abstract_call(@nospecialize(f), fargs::Union{Tuple{},Vector{Any}}, argt
     t = pure_eval_call(f, argtypes, atype, sv)
     t !== false && return t
 
-    if istopfunction(f, :typejoin) || f === return_type
+    if istopfunction(f, :typejoin) || is_return_type(f)
         return Type # don't try to infer these function edges directly -- it won't actually come up with anything useful
     end
 
diff --git a/base/compiler/compiler.jl b/base/compiler/compiler.jl
index 9b99639b5f757..56aa6e216f20a 100644
--- a/base/compiler/compiler.jl
+++ b/base/compiler/compiler.jl
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ include("options.jl")
 
 # core operations & types
 function return_type end # promotion.jl expects this to exist
+is_return_type(@Core.nospecialize(f)) = f === return_type
 include("promotion.jl")
 include("tuple.jl")
 include("pair.jl")
diff --git a/base/compiler/ssair/inlining.jl b/base/compiler/ssair/inlining.jl
index 50c0f370ce556..22bd89adfbed4 100644
--- a/base/compiler/ssair/inlining.jl
+++ b/base/compiler/ssair/inlining.jl
@@ -847,7 +847,7 @@ function assemble_inline_todo!(ir::IRCode, linetable::Vector{LineInfoNode}, sv::
         sv.params.inlining || continue
 
         # Special case inliners for regular functions
-        if late_inline_special_case!(ir, idx, stmt, atypes, f, ft) || f === return_type
+        if late_inline_special_case!(ir, idx, stmt, atypes, f, ft) || is_return_type(f)
             continue
         end
 
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ function late_inline_special_case!(ir::IRCode, idx::Int, stmt::Expr, atypes::Vec
         subtype_call = Expr(:call, GlobalRef(Core, :(<:)), stmt.args[3], stmt.args[2])
         ir[SSAValue(idx)] = subtype_call
         return true
-    elseif f === return_type
+    elseif is_return_type(f)
         if isconstType(typ)
             ir[SSAValue(idx)] = quoted(typ.parameters[1])
             return true
diff --git a/base/compiler/ssair/queries.jl b/base/compiler/ssair/queries.jl
index 61ae36b381012..affa878c74a0f 100644
--- a/base/compiler/ssair/queries.jl
+++ b/base/compiler/ssair/queries.jl
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function stmt_effect_free(@nospecialize(stmt), @nospecialize(rt), src, spvals::S
         if head === :call
             f = argextype(ea[1], src, spvals)
             f = isa(f, Const) ? f.val : isType(f) ? f.parameters[1] : return false
-            f === return_type && return true
+            is_return_type(f) && return true
             contains_is(_PURE_BUILTINS, f) && return true
             contains_is(_PURE_OR_ERROR_BUILTINS, f) || return false
             rt === Bottom && return false