diff --git a/juce_amalgamated.cpp b/juce_amalgamated.cpp
index 2409622851..419dfd8df8 100644
--- a/juce_amalgamated.cpp
+++ b/juce_amalgamated.cpp
@@ -26243,9 +26243,7 @@ int MidiMessageSequence::compareElements (const MidiMessageSequence::MidiEventHo
     const double diff = first->message.getTimeStamp()
                          - second->message.getTimeStamp();
 
-    return (diff == 0) ? 0
-                       : ((diff > 0) ? 1
-                                     : -1);
+    return (diff > 0) - (diff < 0);
 }
 
 void MidiMessageSequence::sort()
diff --git a/juce_amalgamated.h b/juce_amalgamated.h
index aba94e8775..59c6a2d8bf 100644
--- a/juce_amalgamated.h
+++ b/juce_amalgamated.h
@@ -3088,7 +3088,7 @@ public:
     static int compareElements (const ElementType first,
                                 const ElementType second) throw()
     {
-        return first - second;
+        return (first > second) - (second < first);
     }
 };
 
@@ -3114,9 +3114,7 @@ public:
     static int compareElements (const ElementType first,
                                 const ElementType second) throw()
     {
-        return (first < second) ? -1
-                                : ((first == second) ? 0
-                                                     : 1);
+        return (first > second) - (second < first);
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/juce_appframework/audio/midi/juce_MidiMessageSequence.cpp b/src/juce_appframework/audio/midi/juce_MidiMessageSequence.cpp
index 42506d2b6b..87c04cfb12 100644
--- a/src/juce_appframework/audio/midi/juce_MidiMessageSequence.cpp
+++ b/src/juce_appframework/audio/midi/juce_MidiMessageSequence.cpp
@@ -202,9 +202,7 @@ int MidiMessageSequence::compareElements (const MidiMessageSequence::MidiEventHo
     const double diff = first->message.getTimeStamp()
                          - second->message.getTimeStamp();
 
-    return (diff == 0) ? 0
-                       : ((diff > 0) ? 1
-                                     : -1);
+    return (diff > 0) - (diff < 0);
 }
 
 void MidiMessageSequence::sort()
diff --git a/src/juce_core/containers/juce_ElementComparator.h b/src/juce_core/containers/juce_ElementComparator.h
index 0605e04f3d..1bb9f29835 100644
--- a/src/juce_core/containers/juce_ElementComparator.h
+++ b/src/juce_core/containers/juce_ElementComparator.h
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ public:
     static int compareElements (const ElementType first,
                                 const ElementType second) throw()
     {
-        return first - second;
+        return (first > second) - (second < first);
     }
 };
 
@@ -312,9 +312,7 @@ public:
     static int compareElements (const ElementType first,
                                 const ElementType second) throw()
     {
-        return (first < second) ? -1
-                                : ((first == second) ? 0
-                                                     : 1);
+        return (first > second) - (second < first);
     }
 };