diff --git a/src/util/name.cpp b/src/util/name.cpp
index fd02761b0c..7374e727a0 100644
--- a/src/util/name.cpp
+++ b/src/util/name.cpp
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ bool operator==(name const & a, char const * b) {
         strcmp(a.get_string(), b) == 0;
 }
 
-int name::cmp(object * i1, object * i2) {
+int name::cmp_core(object * i1, object * i2) {
     buffer<object*> limbs1, limbs2;
     copy_limbs(i1, limbs1);
     copy_limbs(i2, limbs2);
diff --git a/src/util/name.h b/src/util/name.h
index 9c79851734..475f30f9e5 100644
--- a/src/util/name.h
+++ b/src/util/name.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public:
     static unsigned get_numeral(object * o) { return unbox(cnstr_obj(o, 1)); }
     static unsigned hash(object * o) { return cnstr_scalar<unsigned>(o, 2*sizeof(object*)); } // NOLINT
     static bool eq_core(object * o1, object * o2);
-    static int cmp(object * o1, object * o2);
+    static int cmp_core(object * o1, object * o2);
     size_t size_core(bool unicode) const;
 private:
     friend name read_name(deserializer & d);
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public:
     friend bool operator==(name const & a, char const * b);
     friend bool operator!=(name const & a, char const * b) { return !(a == b); }
     /** \brief Total order on hierarchical names. */
-    friend int cmp(name const & a, name const & b) { return cmp(a.raw(), b.raw()); }
+    friend int cmp(name const & a, name const & b) { return cmp_core(a.raw(), b.raw()); }
     friend bool operator<(name const & a, name const & b) { return cmp(a, b) < 0; }
     friend bool operator>(name const & a, name const & b) { return cmp(a, b) > 0; }
     friend bool operator<=(name const & a, name const & b) { return cmp(a, b) <= 0; }
diff --git a/src/util/object_ref.h b/src/util/object_ref.h
index a15f0576a8..28f0766013 100644
--- a/src/util/object_ref.h
+++ b/src/util/object_ref.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ public:
         return *this;
     }
     object * raw() const { return m_obj; }
-    operator object*() const { return m_obj; }
     static void swap(object_ref & a, object_ref & b) { std::swap(a.m_obj, b.m_obj); }
 };
 
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ inline object_ref mk_cnstr(unsigned tag, object * o1, object * o2, unsigned scal
 /* The following definition is a low level hack that relies on the fact that sizeof(object_ref) == sizeof(object *). */
 inline object_ref const & cnstr_obj_ref(object_ref const & ref, unsigned i) {
     static_assert(sizeof(object_ref) == sizeof(object *), "unexpected object_ref size"); // NOLINT
-    lean_assert(is_cnstr(ref));
+    lean_assert(is_cnstr(ref.raw()));
     return reinterpret_cast<object_ref const *>(reinterpret_cast<char*>(ref.raw()) + sizeof(constructor))[i];
 }