diff --git a/src/Init/WF.lean b/src/Init/WF.lean
index d73bdcff50ff..4ad3a6f1707a 100644
--- a/src/Init/WF.lean
+++ b/src/Init/WF.lean
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ namespace Nat
 
 -- less-than is well-founded
 def lt_wfRel : WellFoundedRelation Nat where
-  rel := Nat.lt
+  rel := (· < ·)
   wf  := by
     apply WellFounded.intro
     intro n