diff --git a/src/common/connection_handlers.py b/src/common/connection_handlers.py
index 980ea9e7a..2b59759a1 100644
--- a/src/common/connection_handlers.py
+++ b/src/common/connection_handlers.py
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ class ConnectionBytestream:
 		if real_id == self.awaiting_xmpp_ping_id:
 			self.awaiting_xmpp_ping_id = None
 			return
-		if real_id[:3] != 'au_':
+		if not real_id.startswith('au_'):
 			return
 		frm = helpers.get_full_jid_from_iq(iq_obj)
 		id = real_id[3:]
diff --git a/src/common/zeroconf/connection_handlers_zeroconf.py b/src/common/zeroconf/connection_handlers_zeroconf.py
index 848bdff9e..e83556416 100644
--- a/src/common/zeroconf/connection_handlers_zeroconf.py
+++ b/src/common/zeroconf/connection_handlers_zeroconf.py
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ class ConnectionBytestream:
 		# if we want to respect jep-0065 we have to check for proxy
 		# activation result in any result iq
 		real_id = unicode(iq_obj.getAttr('id'))
-		if real_id[:3] != 'au_':
+		if not real_id.startswith('au_'):
 			return
 		frm = unicode(iq_obj.getFrom())
 		id = real_id[3:]