diff --git a/include/verilated_std.sv b/include/verilated_std.sv
index 03da57ccb..1c13cd42e 100644
--- a/include/verilated_std.sv
+++ b/include/verilated_std.sv
@@ -181,15 +181,21 @@ package std;
 `ifdef VERILATOR_TIMING
 `systemc_header_post
 template<> template<>
-bool VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>::operator==(const VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>& rhs) const {
+inline bool VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>::operator==(const VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>& rhs) const {
+    if (!m_objp && !rhs.m_objp) return true;
+    if (!m_objp || !rhs.m_objp) return false;
     return m_objp->__PVT__m_process == rhs.m_objp->__PVT__m_process;
 };
 template<> template<>
-bool VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>::operator!=(const VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>& rhs) const {
+inline bool VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>::operator!=(const VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>& rhs) const {
+    if (!m_objp && !rhs.m_objp) return false;
+    if (!m_objp || !rhs.m_objp) return true;
     return m_objp->__PVT__m_process != rhs.m_objp->__PVT__m_process;
 };
 template<> template<>
-bool VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>::operator<(const VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>& rhs) const {
+inline bool VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>::operator<(const VlClassRef<`systemc_class_name>& rhs) const {
+    if (!m_objp && !rhs.m_objp) return false;
+    if (!m_objp || !rhs.m_objp) return false;
     return m_objp->__PVT__m_process < rhs.m_objp->__PVT__m_process;
 };
 `verilog