diff --git a/numba/pythonapi.py b/numba/pythonapi.py
index 40d3ed9a38a..d53fa2be0e3 100644
--- a/numba/pythonapi.py
+++ b/numba/pythonapi.py
@@ -562,12 +562,21 @@ def object_richcompare(self, lhs, rhs, opstr):
         of the opid.
         """
         ops = ['<', '<=', '==', '!=', '>', '>=']
-        opid = ops.index(opstr)
-        assert 0 <= opid < len(ops)
-        fnty = Type.function(self.pyobj, [self.pyobj, self.pyobj, Type.int()])
-        fn = self._get_function(fnty, name="PyObject_RichCompare")
-        lopid = self.context.get_constant(types.int32, opid)
-        return self.builder.call(fn, (lhs, rhs, lopid))
+        if opstr in ops:
+            opid = ops.index(opstr)
+            fnty = Type.function(self.pyobj, [self.pyobj, self.pyobj, Type.int()])
+            fn = self._get_function(fnty, name="PyObject_RichCompare")
+            lopid = self.context.get_constant(types.int32, opid)
+            return self.builder.call(fn, (lhs, rhs, lopid))
+        elif opstr == 'is':
+            bitflag = self.builder.icmp(lc.ICMP_EQ, lhs, rhs)
+            return self.from_native_value(bitflag, types.boolean)
+        elif opstr == 'is not':
+            bitflag = self.builder.icmp(lc.ICMP_NE, lhs, rhs)
+            return self.from_native_value(bitflag, types.boolean)
+        else:
+            raise NotImplementedError("Unknown operator {op!r}".format(
+                op=opstr))
 
     def iter_next(self, iterobj):
         fnty = Type.function(self.pyobj, [self.pyobj])
diff --git a/numba/tests/test_optional.py b/numba/tests/test_optional.py
index d09137a97c6..2644fa35ba0 100644
--- a/numba/tests/test_optional.py
+++ b/numba/tests/test_optional.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function, absolute_import
 import numpy
 import numba.unittest_support as unittest
-from numba.compiler import compile_isolated
+from numba.compiler import compile_isolated, Flags
 from numba import types, typeof, njit
 from numba.pythonapi import NativeError
 from numba import lowering
@@ -75,6 +75,16 @@ def test_is_this_a_none(self):
         for v in [-1, 0, 1, 2]:
             self.assertEqual(pyfunc(v), cfunc(v))
 
+    def test_is_this_a_none_objmode(self):
+        pyfunc = is_this_a_none
+        flags = Flags()
+        flags.set('force_pyobject')
+        cres = compile_isolated(pyfunc, [types.intp], flags=flags)
+        cfunc = cres.entry_point
+        self.assertTrue(cres.objectmode)
+        for v in [-1, 0, 1, 2]:
+            self.assertEqual(pyfunc(v), cfunc(v))
+
     def test_a_is_b_intp(self):
         pyfunc = a_is_b
         with self.assertRaises(lowering.LoweringError):