diff --git a/src/generic.jl b/src/generic.jl
index b1ec10db..8e99cafa 100644
--- a/src/generic.jl
+++ b/src/generic.jl
@@ -1349,7 +1349,7 @@ function issymmetric(A::AbstractMatrix)
     return true
 end
 
-issymmetric(x::Number) = x == x
+issymmetric(x::Number) = true
 
 """
     ishermitian(A) -> Bool
@@ -1388,7 +1388,7 @@ 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 986bb552..1860399b 100644
--- a/test/generic.jl
+++ b/test/generic.jl
@@ -951,6 +951,14 @@ 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
+
 @testset "isapprox for Arrays" begin
     A = rand(3,3)
     n = @allocated isapprox(A, A)