diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6a2296469..3a789f139 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# 0.18.18
+
+* Fix an issue in the ADT trait validators that would sometimes fail validation while they shouldn't.
+
 # 0.18.17
 
 * Constraints applied to list or map members are now correctly rendered in the generated code.
diff --git a/modules/protocol/src/smithy4s/meta/validation/AdtValidatorCommon.java b/modules/protocol/src/smithy4s/meta/validation/AdtValidatorCommon.java
index 62b6c0f50..322e36495 100644
--- a/modules/protocol/src/smithy4s/meta/validation/AdtValidatorCommon.java
+++ b/modules/protocol/src/smithy4s/meta/validation/AdtValidatorCommon.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ ShapeId getReferencer() {
 
 	private static List<Reference> getReferences(Model model, Shape adtMemberShape, Shape adtParent) {
 		return model.getMemberShapes().stream().flatMap(memberShape -> {
-			boolean doesMemberTargetAdtShape = memberShape.getTarget() == adtMemberShape.getId();
+			boolean doesMemberTargetAdtShape = memberShape.getTarget().equals(adtMemberShape.getId());
 			boolean isMemberShapeInDesiredTarget = memberShape.getContainer().equals(adtParent.toShapeId());
 			if (doesMemberTargetAdtShape) {
 				return Stream.of(new Reference(isMemberShapeInDesiredTarget, memberShape.getContainer()));