diff --git a/libguile/eq.c b/libguile/eq.c
index 2db4ac022..6cb9bc275 100644
--- a/libguile/eq.c
+++ b/libguile/eq.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ real_eqv (double x, double y)
 }
 
 #include <stdio.h>
-SCM_PRIMITIVE_GENERIC_1 (scm_eqv_p, "eqv?", scm_tc7_rpsubr,
+SCM_DEFINE1 (scm_eqv_p, "eqv?", scm_tc7_rpsubr,
              (SCM x, SCM y),
 	    "Return @code{#t} if @var{x} and @var{y} are the same object, or\n"
 	    "for characters and numbers the same value.\n"
@@ -173,10 +173,7 @@ SCM_PRIMITIVE_GENERIC_1 (scm_eqv_p, "eqv?", scm_tc7_rpsubr,
 				      SCM_COMPLEX_IMAG (y)));
       }
     }
-  if (SCM_UNPACK (g_scm_eqv_p))
-    return scm_call_generic_2 (g_scm_eqv_p, x, y);
-  else
-    return SCM_BOOL_F;
+  return SCM_BOOL_F;
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 
@@ -294,13 +291,20 @@ SCM_PRIMITIVE_GENERIC_1 (scm_equal_p, "equal?", scm_tc7_rpsubr,
     case scm_tc7_wvect:
       return scm_i_vector_equal_p (x, y);
     }
+  /* Check equality between structs of equal type (see cell-type test above). */
+  if (SCM_STRUCTP (x))
+    {
+      if (SCM_INSTANCEP (x))
+        goto generic_equal;
+      else
+        return scm_i_struct_equalp (x, y);
+    }
 
-  /* Check equality between structs of equal type (see cell-type test above)
-     that are not GOOPS instances.  GOOPS instances are treated via the
-     generic function.  */
-  if ((SCM_STRUCTP (x)) && (!SCM_INSTANCEP (x)))
-    return scm_i_struct_equalp (x, y);
-
+  /* Otherwise just return false. Dispatching to the generic is the wrong thing
+     here, as we can hit this case for any two objects of the same type that we
+     think are distinct, like different symbols. */
+  return SCM_BOOL_F;
+  
  generic_equal:
   if (SCM_UNPACK (g_scm_equal_p))
     return scm_call_generic_2 (g_scm_equal_p, x, y);
diff --git a/module/oop/goops.scm b/module/oop/goops.scm
index b67c4d4b0..a1af66654 100644
--- a/module/oop/goops.scm
+++ b/module/oop/goops.scm
@@ -713,7 +713,6 @@
 ;;; Methods to compare objects
 ;;;
 
-(define-method (eqv? x y) #f)
 (define-method (equal? x y) (eqv? x y))
 
 ;;;
diff --git a/test-suite/tests/goops.test b/test-suite/tests/goops.test
index 18b2122be..8a06ad99a 100644
--- a/test-suite/tests/goops.test
+++ b/test-suite/tests/goops.test
@@ -408,18 +408,6 @@
 		    (define o4 (make <c> #:x '(4) #:y '(3)))
 		    (not (eqv? o1 o2)))
 		 (current-module)))
-  (pass-if "eqv?"
-	   (eval '(begin
-		    (define-method (eqv? (a <c>) (b <c>))
-		      (equal? (x a) (x b)))
-		    (eqv? o1 o2))
-		 (current-module)))
-  (pass-if "not eqv?"
-	   (eval '(not (eqv? o2 o3))
-		 (current-module)))
-  (pass-if "transfer eqv? => equal?"
-	   (eval '(equal? o1 o2)
-		 (current-module)))
   (pass-if "equal?"
 	   (eval '(begin
 		    (define-method (equal? (a <c>) (b <c>))