diff --git a/internal/c/libqb.cpp b/internal/c/libqb.cpp
index c0fb7bc22..05b5ab8c7 100644
--- a/internal/c/libqb.cpp
+++ b/internal/c/libqb.cpp
@@ -6719,7 +6719,7 @@ int32 func__str_nc_compare(qbs *s1, qbs *s2) {
     }
     
     if (l1<l2) return -1; 
-    if (l2>l1) return 1;
+    if (l1>l2) return 1;
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/qb64.bas b/source/qb64.bas
index 9dc01e28d..27d984a4a 100644
--- a/source/qb64.bas
+++ b/source/qb64.bas
@@ -1574,7 +1574,7 @@ DO
     layout = ""
     layoutok = 0
 
-    linenumber = linenumber + 1
+    IF ColorHack = 0 THEN linenumber = linenumber + 1 'don't update line number when mass assigning CONST values from $COLOR statement
 
     DO UNTIL linenumber < UBOUND(InValidLine) 'color information flag for each line
         REDIM _PRESERVE InValidLine(UBOUND(InValidLine) + 1000) AS _BIT