diff --git a/compiler/rustc_lexer/src/cursor.rs b/compiler/rustc_lexer/src/cursor.rs
index c0045d3f79b..297f3d19ca1 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_lexer/src/cursor.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_lexer/src/cursor.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pub(crate) fn prev(&self) -> char {
 
         #[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
         {
-            '\0'
+            EOF_CHAR
         }
     }