diff --git a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/bases.py b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/bases.py
index 11a19bf4..7259f984 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/bases.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/bases.py
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ def getUiState(self) -> t.FormField:
     def syncUiState(self, state: FormField):  # type: ignore
         self.widget.setValue(state['value'])  # type: ignore
         self.error.SetLabel(state['error'] or '')
-        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] is not '')
+        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] != '')
 
 
     def getValue(self) -> t.FieldValue:
diff --git a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/checkbox.py b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/checkbox.py
index 219db409..83c787ad 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/checkbox.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/checkbox.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def syncUiState(self, state: t.Checkbox):  # type: ignore
         checkbox.Enable(state['enabled'])
         self.Show(state['visible'])
         self.error.SetLabel(state['error'] or '')
-        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] is not '')
+        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] != '')
 
 
 
diff --git a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown.py b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown.py
index f43d4a29..6e30a4cb 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def syncUiState(self, state: FormField):
         if state['selected'] is not None:  # type: ignore
             self.setValue(state['selected'])  # type: ignore
         self.error.SetLabel(state['error'] or '')
-        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] is not '')
+        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] != '')
 
     def getUiState(self) -> t.FormField:
         widget: wx.ComboBox = self.widget
diff --git a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown_filterable.py b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown_filterable.py
index 4babdf1b..69bce157 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown_filterable.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/dropdown_filterable.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ def syncUiState(self, state: t.DropdownFilterable):  # type: ignore
         if state['value'] is not None:
             self.setValue(state['value'])
         self.error.SetLabel(state['error'] or '')
-        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] is not '')
+        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] != '')
 
     def OnGetItem(self, n):
         return self.model.suggestions[n]
diff --git a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/listbox.py b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/listbox.py
index c3f4143b..e70a5f25 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/listbox.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/listbox.py
@@ -51,4 +51,4 @@ def syncUiState(self, state: t.Listbox):  # type: ignore
         for string in state['selected']:
             widget.SetStringSelection(string)
         self.error.SetLabel(state['error'] or '')
-        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] is not '')
+        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] != '')
diff --git a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textarea.py b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textarea.py
index 27dc42af..21b913bb 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textarea.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textarea.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def formatOutput(self, metatdata, value: str):
     def syncUiState(self, state: FormField):
         self.setValue(state['value'])  # type: ignore
         self.error.SetLabel(state['error'] or '')
-        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] is not '')
+        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] != '')
 
     def getUiState(self) -> t.FormField:
         return t.TextField(
diff --git a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textfield.py b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textfield.py
index 5b5955a1..3e6cab4c 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textfield.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/components/widgets/textfield.py
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@ def syncUiState(self, state: t.TextField):  # type: ignore
         textctr.Enable(state['enabled'])
         self.Show(state['visible'])
         self.error.SetLabel(state['error'] or '')
-        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] is not '')
+        self.error.Show(state['error'] is not None and state['error'] != '')
         self.Layout()