--- old/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/referenceProcessor.hpp	2018-09-28 16:47:33.676805924 +0200
+++ new/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/referenceProcessor.hpp	2018-09-28 16:47:33.535809161 +0200
@@ -143,13 +143,13 @@
   inline size_t removed() const { return _removed; }
 
   inline void move_to_next() {
-    if (_current_discovered == _next_discovered) {
+    if (oopDesc::unsafe_equals(_current_discovered, _next_discovered)) {
       // End of the list.
       _current_discovered = NULL;
     } else {
       _current_discovered = _next_discovered;
     }
-    assert(_current_discovered != _first_seen, "cyclic ref_list found");
+    assert(! oopDesc::unsafe_equals(_current_discovered, _first_seen), "cyclic ref_list found");
     _processed++;
   }
 };