diff --git a/src/generic.jl b/src/generic.jl
index 4b78ee90..4547f918 100644
--- a/src/generic.jl
+++ b/src/generic.jl
@@ -1350,7 +1350,7 @@ function issymmetric(A::AbstractMatrix)
     return true
 end
 
-issymmetric(x::Number) = x == x
+issymmetric(x::Number) = true
 
 """
     ishermitian(A) -> Bool
@@ -1389,7 +1389,7 @@ function ishermitian(A::AbstractMatrix)
     return true
 end
 
-ishermitian(x::Number) = (x == conj(x))
+ishermitian(x::Number) = isreal(x)
 
 # helper function equivalent to `iszero(v)`, but potentially without the fast exit feature
 # of `all` if this improves performance
diff --git a/test/generic.jl b/test/generic.jl
index 0570b8db..3b029d0c 100644
--- a/test/generic.jl
+++ b/test/generic.jl
@@ -943,4 +943,12 @@ end
     @test B == A2
 end
 
+@testset "issymmetric/ishermitian for Numbers" begin
+    fsym(x) = Val(issymmetric(x))
+    @test @inferred(fsym(2)) isa Val{true}
+    @test @inferred(fsym(2im)) isa Val{true}
+    fherm(x) = Val(ishermitian(x))
+    @test @inferred(fherm(2)) isa Val{true}
+end
+
 end # module TestGeneric