diff --git a/user/lib.php b/user/lib.php
index 8cb675004b868..a62f9650e333a 100644
--- a/user/lib.php
+++ b/user/lib.php
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ function user_update_user($user, $updatepassword = true, $triggerevent = true) {
         if (!property_exists($currentrecord, $attributekey) || $attributekey === 'timemodified') {
             continue;
         }
-        if ($currentrecord->{$attributekey} != $attributevalue) {
+        if ($currentrecord->{$attributekey} !== $attributevalue) {
             $changedattributes[$attributekey] = $attributevalue;
         }
     }