diff --git a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.cpp b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.cpp
index f2572d60883..a7c4e6cf444 100644
--- a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.cpp
+++ b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.cpp
@@ -441,6 +441,16 @@ int String::compareTo(const String &s) const
 	return strcmp(buffer, s.buffer);
 }
 
+int String::compareTo(const char *cstr) const
+{
+	if (!buffer || !cstr) {
+		if (cstr && !*cstr) return 0 - *(unsigned char *)cstr;
+		if (buffer && len > 0) return *(unsigned char *)buffer;
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return strcmp(buffer, cstr);
+}
+
 unsigned char String::equals(const String &s2) const
 {
 	return (len == s2.len && compareTo(s2) == 0);
@@ -453,26 +463,6 @@ unsigned char String::equals(const char *cstr) const
 	return strcmp(buffer, cstr) == 0;
 }
 
-unsigned char String::operator<(const String &rhs) const
-{
-	return compareTo(rhs) < 0;
-}
-
-unsigned char String::operator>(const String &rhs) const
-{
-	return compareTo(rhs) > 0;
-}
-
-unsigned char String::operator<=(const String &rhs) const
-{
-	return compareTo(rhs) <= 0;
-}
-
-unsigned char String::operator>=(const String &rhs) const
-{
-	return compareTo(rhs) >= 0;
-}
-
 unsigned char String::equalsIgnoreCase( const String &s2 ) const
 {
 	if (this == &s2) return 1;
diff --git a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.h b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.h
index 77709c3ba42..047a2e3cd21 100644
--- a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.h
+++ b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/WString.h
@@ -137,16 +137,30 @@ class String
 	// comparison (only works w/ Strings and "strings")
 	operator StringIfHelperType() const { return buffer ? &String::StringIfHelper : 0; }
 	int compareTo(const String &s) const;
+	int compareTo(const char *cstr) const;
 	unsigned char equals(const String &s) const;
 	unsigned char equals(const char *cstr) const;
-	unsigned char operator == (const String &rhs) const {return equals(rhs);}
-	unsigned char operator == (const char *cstr) const {return equals(cstr);}
-	unsigned char operator != (const String &rhs) const {return !equals(rhs);}
-	unsigned char operator != (const char *cstr) const {return !equals(cstr);}
-	unsigned char operator <  (const String &rhs) const;
-	unsigned char operator >  (const String &rhs) const;
-	unsigned char operator <= (const String &rhs) const;
-	unsigned char operator >= (const String &rhs) const;
+
+	friend unsigned char operator == (const String &a, const String &b) { return a.equals(b); }
+	friend unsigned char operator == (const String &a, const char   *b) { return a.equals(b); }
+	friend unsigned char operator == (const char   *a, const String &b) { return b == a; }
+	friend unsigned char operator <  (const String &a, const String &b) { return a.compareTo(b) < 0; }
+	friend unsigned char operator <  (const String &a, const char   *b) { return a.compareTo(b) < 0; }
+	friend unsigned char operator <  (const char   *a, const String &b) { return b.compareTo(a) > 0; }
+
+	friend unsigned char operator != (const String &a, const String &b) { return !(a == b); }
+	friend unsigned char operator != (const String &a, const char   *b) { return !(a == b); }
+	friend unsigned char operator != (const char   *a, const String &b) { return !(a == b); }
+	friend unsigned char operator >  (const String &a, const String &b) { return b < a; }
+	friend unsigned char operator >  (const String &a, const char   *b) { return b < a; }
+	friend unsigned char operator >  (const char   *a, const String &b) { return b < a; }
+	friend unsigned char operator <= (const String &a, const String &b) { return !(b < a); }
+	friend unsigned char operator <= (const String &a, const char   *b) { return !(b < a); }
+	friend unsigned char operator <= (const char   *a, const String &b) { return !(b < a); }
+	friend unsigned char operator >= (const String &a, const String &b) { return !(a < b); }
+	friend unsigned char operator >= (const String &a, const char   *b) { return !(a < b); }
+	friend unsigned char operator >= (const char   *a, const String &b) { return !(a < b); }
+
 	unsigned char equalsIgnoreCase(const String &s) const;
 	unsigned char startsWith( const String &prefix) const;
 	unsigned char startsWith(const String &prefix, unsigned int offset) const;