diff --git a/racket/src/racket/src/place.c b/racket/src/racket/src/place.c
index eb87fcd4da..7fd0c6df4c 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/src/place.c
+++ b/racket/src/racket/src/place.c
@@ -538,21 +538,21 @@ Scheme_Object *scheme_place(int argc, Scheme_Object *args[]) {
     Scheme_Object *a[4];
     Scheme_Object *tmpport;
     a[0] = (Scheme_Object *) place;
-    if (rw[1] >= 0) {
+    if (rw[1]) {
       tmpport = scheme_make_rktio_fd_output_port(rw[1], scheme_intern_symbol("place-in"), 0);
       a[1] = tmpport;
     }
     else
       a[1] = scheme_false;
 
-    if (rw[2] >= 0) {
+    if (rw[2]) {
       tmpport = scheme_make_rktio_fd_input_port(rw[2],  scheme_intern_symbol("place-out"));
       a[2] = tmpport;
     }
     else
       a[2] = scheme_false;
 
-    if (rw[4] >= 0) {
+    if (rw[4]) {
       tmpport = scheme_make_rktio_fd_input_port(rw[4],  scheme_intern_symbol("place-err"));
       a[3] = tmpport;
     }
diff --git a/racket/src/rktio/rktio_poll_set.c b/racket/src/rktio/rktio_poll_set.c
index cec64de0d5..25cd08036e 100644
--- a/racket/src/rktio/rktio_poll_set.c
+++ b/racket/src/rktio/rktio_poll_set.c
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ rktio_signal_handle_t *rktio_get_signal_handle(rktio_t *rktio)
   return (rktio_signal_handle_t *)&rktio->put_external_event_fd;
 #endif
 #ifdef RKTIO_SYSTEM_WINDOWS
-  return (rktio_signal_handle_t *)rktio->break_semaphore;
+  return (rktio_signal_handle_t *)&rktio->break_semaphore;
 #endif
 }