diff --git a/gettext-tools/src/format-lisp.c b/gettext-tools/src/format-lisp.c
index 06eabe00e..b12c7083f 100644
--- a/gettext-tools/src/format-lisp.c
+++ b/gettext-tools/src/format-lisp.c
@@ -3503,7 +3503,7 @@ format_check (void *msgid_descr, void *msgstr_descr, bool equality,
 
       if (!(intersection != NULL
             && (normalize_list (intersection),
-                equal_list (intersection, spec2->list))))
+                equal_list (intersection, spec1->list))))
         {
           if (error_logger)
             error_logger (error_logger_data,
diff --git a/gettext-tools/src/format-scheme.c b/gettext-tools/src/format-scheme.c
index 874013223..0cef3a103 100644
--- a/gettext-tools/src/format-scheme.c
+++ b/gettext-tools/src/format-scheme.c
@@ -3425,7 +3425,7 @@ format_check (void *msgid_descr, void *msgstr_descr, bool equality,
 
       if (!(intersection != NULL
             && (normalize_list (intersection),
-                equal_list (intersection, spec2->list))))
+                equal_list (intersection, spec1->list))))
         {
           if (error_logger)
             error_logger (error_logger_data,