diff --git a/lisp/wid-edit.el b/lisp/wid-edit.el
index 234f3d9b74d..606093fd293 100644
--- a/lisp/wid-edit.el
+++ b/lisp/wid-edit.el
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ widget-choose
   (let ((items (mapc (lambda (x)
                        (when (consp x)
                          (dotimes (i (1- (length x)))
-                           (when (char-or-string-p (nth i x))
+                           (when (stringp (nth i x))
                              (setcar (nthcdr i x)
                                      (substitute-command-keys
                                       (car (nthcdr i x))))))))