diff --git a/source/meta.tex b/source/meta.tex
index 48510a4e39..5da7f5f9c6 100644
--- a/source/meta.tex
+++ b/source/meta.tex
@@ -2867,10 +2867,11 @@
 struct OptBool {
   union { bool b; char c; };
 
-  // note: this assumes common implementation properties for \tcode{bool} and \tcode{char}:
-  // * \tcode{sizeof(bool) == sizeof(char)}, and
+  // note: this assumes common implementation properties for \tcode{bool}:
+  // * \tcode{bool} has the same object representation, value representation, and
+  //   alignment requirements as \tcode{unsigned char}, and
   // * the value representations for \tcode{true} and \tcode{false} are distinct
-  //   from the value representation for \tcode{2}
+  //   from the value representation for \tcode{char\{2\}}
   constexpr OptBool() : c(2) { }
   constexpr OptBool(bool b) : b(b) { }
 
@@ -2878,7 +2879,7 @@
     if consteval {
       return std::is_within_lifetime(&b);       // during constant evaluation, cannot read from \tcode{c}
     } else {
-      return c != 2;                            // during runtime, must read from \tcode{c}
+      return std::bit_cast<char>(*this) != 2;   // during runtime, must read the value representation
     }
   }