diff --git a/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/graphs/tikzlibrarygraphs.code.tex b/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/graphs/tikzlibrarygraphs.code.tex
index ac65e119b..20a173580 100644
--- a/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/graphs/tikzlibrarygraphs.code.tex
+++ b/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/graphs/tikzlibrarygraphs.code.tex
@@ -1195,8 +1195,8 @@
 }%
 \def\tikzlibignorecomparisonsINTERNAL{%
   \pgfkeys{/handlers/first char syntax=true}
-  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character >}{\pgfutil@gobble}%
-  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character <}{\pgfutil@gobble}%
+  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string>}{\pgfutil@gobble}%
+  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string<}{\pgfutil@gobble}%
 }%
 \def\tikz@lib@layout@node@options@prefix{graphs/.cd,}%
 
@@ -1222,8 +1222,8 @@
 
 \def\tikz@lib@activate@source@target@edge@syntax{%
   \pgfkeys{/handlers/first char syntax=true}
-  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character >}{\tikz@lg@parse@more}%
-  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character <}{\tikz@lg@parse@less}%
+  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string>}{\tikz@lg@parse@more}%
+  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string<}{\tikz@lg@parse@less}%
 }%
 
 \def\tikz@lg@parse@less#1{\tikz@lg@parse@less@#1\pgf@stop}%
diff --git a/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryanimations.code.tex b/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryanimations.code.tex
index 9a770a8e3..7b3fc12bf 100644
--- a/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryanimations.code.tex
+++ b/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryanimations.code.tex
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 \tikzanimateset{
   .code={
     \pgfkeys{/handlers/first char syntax=true}
-    \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character "}{\tikz@animation@value}%
+    \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string"}{\tikz@animation@value}%
     \def\tikz@anim@t{0}%
     \def\tikz@anim@t@base{0}%
     \def\tikz@anim@t@current{0}%
diff --git a/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryquotes.code.tex b/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryquotes.code.tex
index bbd109bcb..41ce3faaf 100644
--- a/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryquotes.code.tex
+++ b/tex/generic/pgf/frontendlayer/tikz/libraries/tikzlibraryquotes.code.tex
@@ -38,15 +38,15 @@
 \pgfkeys{/handlers/first char syntax=true}%
 
 \def\tikz@enable@node@quotes{%
-  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character "}{\tikz@quote@parser}%
+  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string"}{\tikz@quote@parser}%
   \let\tikz@quotes@as\tikz@node@quotes@as%
 }%
 \def\tikz@enable@edge@quotes{%
-  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character "}{\tikz@quote@parser}%
+  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string"}{\tikz@quote@parser}%
   \let\tikz@quotes@as\tikz@edge@quotes@as%
 }%
 \def\tikz@enable@pic@quotes{%
-  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/the character "}{\tikz@quote@parser}%
+  \pgfkeyssetvalue{/handlers/first char syntax/\expandafter\meaning\string"}{\tikz@quote@parser}%
   \let\tikz@quotes@as\tikz@pic@quotes@as%
 }%