diff --git a/Lib/urllib.py b/Lib/urllib.py
index 66f0aea741f..d0031f6bce6 100644
--- a/Lib/urllib.py
+++ b/Lib/urllib.py
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ def open_https(self, url, data=None):
             """Use HTTPS protocol."""
             import httplib
             user_passwd = None
-            if type(url) in types.StringTypes:
+            if type(url) is types.StringType:
                 host, selector = splithost(url)
                 if host:
                     user_passwd, host = splituser(host)