diff --git a/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-lib/redex/private/matcher.rkt b/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-lib/redex/private/matcher.rkt
index adcb675bec..b3255def25 100644
--- a/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-lib/redex/private/matcher.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-lib/redex/private/matcher.rkt
@@ -621,8 +621,7 @@ See match-a-pattern.rkt for more details
 
 ;; match-pattern? : compiled-pattern exp -> boolean
 (define (match-pattern? compiled-pattern exp)
-  (let ([results ((compiled-pattern-cp compiled-pattern) exp #f)])
-    (and results #t)))
+  (and (match-pattern compiled-pattern exp) #t))
 
 ;; match-pattern : compiled-pattern exp -> (union #f (listof bindings))
 (define (match-pattern compiled-pattern exp)
diff --git a/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-test/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt b/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-test/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt
index 5c4bbff208..252e09af4b 100644
--- a/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-test/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/redex-pkgs/redex-test/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt
@@ -280,6 +280,9 @@
   (test (map match-bindings (redex-match grammar (a ..._1) (term (a a a))))
         '(()))
   
+  ;; make sure redex-match? does the equality check
+  (test (redex-match? empty-language (any_0 any_0) (term (1 2))) #f)
+
   (define-syntax (test-match stx)
     (syntax-case stx ()
       [(_ actual (((var val) ...) ...))