diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/converter/GenericConverter.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/converter/GenericConverter.java
index 11bc2945a7..09d3b10837 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/converter/GenericConverter.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/converter/GenericConverter.java
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public interface GenericConverter {
 	/**
 	 * Holder for a source-to-target class pair.
 	 */
-	public static final class ConvertiblePair {
+	final class ConvertiblePair {
 
 		private final Class<?> sourceType;
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public interface GenericConverter {
 				return false;
 			}
 			ConvertiblePair otherPair = (ConvertiblePair) other;
-			return (this.sourceType.equals(otherPair.sourceType) && this.targetType.equals(otherPair.targetType));
+			return (this.sourceType == otherPair.sourceType && this.targetType == otherPair.targetType);
 		}
 
 		@Override
diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java
index 6ec4b309ab..52df6a7766 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ public class GenericConversionService implements ConfigurableConversionService {
 	 * @return the converted null object
 	 */
 	protected Object convertNullSource(TypeDescriptor sourceType, TypeDescriptor targetType) {
-		if (javaUtilOptionalEmpty != null && targetType.getObjectType().equals(javaUtilOptionalEmpty.getClass())) {
+		if (javaUtilOptionalEmpty != null && targetType.getObjectType() == javaUtilOptionalEmpty.getClass()) {
 			return javaUtilOptionalEmpty;
 		}
 		return null;
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ public class GenericConversionService implements ConfigurableConversionService {
 		@Override
 		public boolean matches(TypeDescriptor sourceType, TypeDescriptor targetType) {
 			// Check raw type first...
-			if (!this.typeInfo.getTargetType().equals(targetType.getObjectType())) {
+			if (this.typeInfo.getTargetType() != targetType.getObjectType()) {
 				return false;
 			}
 			// Full check for complex generic type match required?