diff --git a/expreduce/blank.go b/expreduce/blank.go
index a0a0918..df28b93 100644
--- a/expreduce/blank.go
+++ b/expreduce/blank.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func IsBlankTypeOnly(e Ex) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func IsBlankTypeCapturing(e Ex, target Ex, t string, pm *PDManager, cl *CASLogger) (bool, *PDManager) {
+func IsBlankTypeCapturing(e Ex, target Ex, head Ex, pm *PDManager, cl *CASLogger) (bool, *PDManager) {
 	// Similar to IsBlankType, but will capture target into es.patternDefined
 	// if there is a valid match.
 	asPattern, patternOk := HeadAssertion(e, "Pattern")
@@ -44,12 +44,7 @@ func IsBlankTypeCapturing(e Ex, target Ex, t string, pm *PDManager, cl *CASLogge
 			if len(parts) < 2 {
 				matchesHead = true
 			} else {
-				asSymbol, symbolOk := parts[1].(*Symbol)
-				if symbolOk {
-					if asSymbol.Name == t {
-						matchesHead = true
-					}
-				}
+				matchesHead = IsSameQ(head, parts[1], cl)
 			}
 			cl.Debugf("%v", matchesHead)
 			if matchesHead {
@@ -84,7 +79,6 @@ func IsBlankTypeCapturing(e Ex, target Ex, t string, pm *PDManager, cl *CASLogge
 	asBS, bsOk := HeadAssertion(e, "BlankSequence")
 	asBNS, bnsOk := HeadAssertion(e, "BlankNullSequence")
 	if blankOk || bsOk || bnsOk {
-		var asSymbol *Symbol
 		parts := []Ex{}
 		if blankOk {
 			parts = asBlank.Parts
@@ -96,10 +90,7 @@ func IsBlankTypeCapturing(e Ex, target Ex, t string, pm *PDManager, cl *CASLogge
 		if len(parts) < 2 {
 			return true, pm
 		}
-		asSymbol, symbolOk := parts[1].(*Symbol)
-		if symbolOk {
-			return asSymbol.Name == t, pm
-		}
+		return IsSameQ(head, parts[1], cl), pm
 	}
 	return false, pm
 }
diff --git a/expreduce/builtin_pattern.go b/expreduce/builtin_pattern.go
index f210da7..d87a53a 100644
--- a/expreduce/builtin_pattern.go
+++ b/expreduce/builtin_pattern.go
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ func GetPatternDefinitions() (defs []Definition) {
 
 			// Test pinning in orderless
 			&SameTest{"{{b[[1]],b},{y,a},{y,c},{b[[1]],b},{x,a},{y,c},{b[[1]],b},{x,c},{y,a},{b[[1]],b},{x,a},{x,c}}", "pats"},
+
+			&SameTest{"True", "MatchQ[(a+b)[testsym],Blank[(a+b)]]"},
 		},
 		KnownFailures: []TestInstruction{
 			// Test order of pattern checking
diff --git a/expreduce/matchq.go b/expreduce/matchq.go
index 8a2a1c2..cde915e 100644
--- a/expreduce/matchq.go
+++ b/expreduce/matchq.go
@@ -147,24 +147,23 @@ func NewMatchIter(a Ex, b Ex, pm *PDManager, es *EvalState) (matchIter, bool) {
 	}
 
 	// This initial value is just a randomly chosen placeholder
-	// TODO, convert headStr to symbol type, have Ex implement getHead() Symbol
-	headStr := "Unknown"
+	var headEx Ex
 	if aIsFlt {
-		headStr = "Real"
+		headEx = &Symbol{"Real"}
 	} else if aIsInteger {
-		headStr = "Integer"
+		headEx = &Symbol{"Integer"}
 	} else if aIsString {
-		headStr = "String"
+		headEx = &Symbol{"String"}
 	} else if aIsExpression {
-		headStr = aExpression.Parts[0].String()
+		headEx = aExpression.Parts[0]
 	} else if aIsSymbol {
-		headStr = "Symbol"
+		headEx = &Symbol{"Symbol"}
 	} else if aIsRational {
-		headStr = "Rational"
+		headEx = &Symbol{"Rational"}
 	}
 
 	if IsBlankTypeOnly(b) {
-		ibtc, ibtcNewPDs := IsBlankTypeCapturing(b, a, headStr, pm, &es.CASLogger)
+		ibtc, ibtcNewPDs := IsBlankTypeCapturing(b, a, headEx, pm, &es.CASLogger)
 		if ibtc {
 			return &dummyMatchIter{true, ibtcNewPDs, true}, true
 		}