diff --git a/src/AstGen.zig b/src/AstGen.zig
index b18d550347..1ec0cfa78f 100644
--- a/src/AstGen.zig
+++ b/src/AstGen.zig
@@ -5628,6 +5628,14 @@ fn simpleBinOp(
     const tree = astgen.tree;
     const node_datas = tree.nodes.items(.data);
 
+    if (op_inst_tag == .cmp_neq or op_inst_tag == .cmp_eq) {
+        const node_tags = tree.nodes.items(.tag);
+        const str = if (op_inst_tag == .cmp_eq) "==" else "!=";
+        if (node_tags[node_datas[node].lhs] == .string_literal or
+            node_tags[node_datas[node].rhs] == .string_literal)
+            return astgen.failNode(node, "cannot compare strings with {s}", .{str});
+    }
+
     const lhs = try reachableExpr(gz, scope, .{ .rl = .none }, node_datas[node].lhs, node);
     var line: u32 = undefined;
     var column: u32 = undefined;
@@ -6625,6 +6633,11 @@ fn switchExpr(
             continue;
         }
 
+        for (case.ast.values) |val| {
+            if (node_tags[val] == .string_literal)
+                return astgen.failNode(val, "cannot switch on strings", .{});
+        }
+
         if (case.ast.values.len == 1 and node_tags[case.ast.values[0]] != .switch_range) {
             scalar_cases_len += 1;
         } else {
diff --git a/test/cases/compile_errors/invalid_compare_string.zig b/test/cases/compile_errors/invalid_compare_string.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a5c7f041a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cases/compile_errors/invalid_compare_string.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+comptime {
+    var a = "foo";
+    if (a == "foo") unreachable;
+}
+comptime {
+    var a = "foo";
+    if (a == ("foo")) unreachable; // intentionally allow
+}
+comptime {
+    var a = "foo";
+    switch (a) {
+        "foo" => unreachable,
+        else => {},
+    }
+}
+comptime {
+    var a = "foo";
+    switch (a) {
+        ("foo") => unreachable, // intentionally allow
+        else => {},
+    }
+}
+
+// error
+// backend=stage2
+// target=native
+//
+// :3:11: error: cannot compare strings with ==
+// :12:9: error: cannot switch on strings
diff --git a/test/cases/compile_errors/switch_on_slice.zig b/test/cases/compile_errors/switch_on_slice.zig
index b4644b132c..c2b28f67ab 100644
--- a/test/cases/compile_errors/switch_on_slice.zig
+++ b/test/cases/compile_errors/switch_on_slice.zig
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 pub export fn entry() void {
     var a: [:0]const u8 = "foo";
     switch (a) {
-        "--version", "version" => unreachable,
+        ("--version"), ("version") => unreachable,
         else => {},
     }
 }