diff --git a/collects/mred/private/dynamic.ss b/collects/mred/private/dynamic.ss
index 9e34b14dd3..0ef4b12846 100644
--- a/collects/mred/private/dynamic.ss
+++ b/collects/mred/private/dynamic.ss
@@ -4,4 +4,8 @@
 ;; It is required by mred/mred so that it gets carried
 ;; along when mred/mred is attached to a new namespace.
 
+(provide kernel-initialized)
+
 (dynamic-require ''#%mred-kernel #f)
+
+(define kernel-initialized 'done)
diff --git a/collects/scheme/gui/dynamic.ss b/collects/scheme/gui/dynamic.ss
index 82f310af74..08a259f8c2 100644
--- a/collects/scheme/gui/dynamic.ss
+++ b/collects/scheme/gui/dynamic.ss
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 
 (define (gui-available?)
   (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (lambda (exn) #f)])
-    (dynamic-require 'mred/private/dynamic #f)
-    #t))
+    (eq? (dynamic-require 'mred/private/dynamic 'kernel-initialized)
+         'done)))
 
 (define-namespace-anchor anchor)
 
diff --git a/src/mzscheme/src/module.c b/src/mzscheme/src/module.c
index e8161e50c9..c02a2f92a6 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/src/module.c
+++ b/src/mzscheme/src/module.c
@@ -3045,9 +3045,9 @@ static Scheme_Module *module_load(Scheme_Object *name, Scheme_Env *env, const ch
     if (!m) {
       char *mred_note;
 
-      if (!strcmp(SCHEME_SYM_VAL(name), "#%mred-kernel")
+      if (!strcmp(SCHEME_SYM_VAL(SCHEME_PTR_VAL(name)), "#%mred-kernel")
 	  && !(scheme_strncmp(scheme_banner(), "Welcome to MzScheme", 19)))
-	mred_note = "; need to run in MrEd instead of MzScheme";
+	mred_note = "; need to run in mred instead of mzscheme";
       else
 	mred_note = "";