diff --git a/meshmode/array_context.py b/meshmode/array_context.py
index 4405b5ddd23949478a1dd9fe9f5a941f97e003fe..88d3ecf412f033833272d696de2e70c9b35266f6 100644
--- a/meshmode/array_context.py
+++ b/meshmode/array_context.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ class _PyOpenCLFakeNumpyNamespace(_BaseFakeNumpyNamespace):
     @obj_array_vectorized_n_args
     def where(self, criterion, then, else_):
         import pyopencl.array as cl_array
-        return cl_array.if_positive(criterion.astype(np.bool), then, else_)
+        return cl_array.if_positive(criterion != 0, then, else_)
 
 
 class PyOpenCLArrayContext(ArrayContext):