diff --git a/lisp/ChangeLog b/lisp/ChangeLog
index 833a25c39a8..70bb9bce334 100644
--- a/lisp/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2010-01-14  Juanma Barranquero  <lekktu@gmail.com>
+
+	* hexl.el (hexl-printable-character): Fix check of `hexl-iso',
+	which is always a string.  (Bug#5313)
+
 2010-01-14  Juanma Barranquero  <lekktu@gmail.com>
 
 	* progmodes/ada-xref.el (ada-default-prj-properties):
diff --git a/lisp/hexl.el b/lisp/hexl.el
index 2854ca12d45..7edf5ec10ac 100644
--- a/lisp/hexl.el
+++ b/lisp/hexl.el
@@ -779,11 +779,11 @@ This discards the buffer's undo information."
 
 (defun hexl-printable-character (ch)
   "Return a displayable string for character CH."
-  (format "%c" (if hexl-iso
-		   (if (or (< ch 32) (and (>= ch 127) (< ch 160)))
+  (format "%c" (if (equal hexl-iso "")
+		   (if (or (< ch 32) (>= ch 127))
 		       46
 		     ch)
-		 (if (or (< ch 32) (>= ch 127))
+		 (if (or (< ch 32) (and (>= ch 127) (< ch 160)))
 		     46
 		   ch))))